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THE 

GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

THE  STORY  OF  SUMTER 
1860-61 


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THE 


GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL 


THE  STORY  OF  SUMTER 


1860-1861 


BY 


SAMUEL    WYLIE    CRAWFORD 

BREVET  MAJOR-GENERAL,  U.  S.  A.,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  LL.  D. 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  L.  WEBSTER  &  COMPANY 
1887 


Copyrighted,  1887, 

BY  S.  W.  CRAWFORD. 

(All  rights  reserved. ) 


PRESS   OF 

JENKINS  &  MoCowAN, 

224  CENTRE  ST. ,  N.  Y- 


PREFACE. 


A  TRAGIC  story  is  easily  told.  Battle  pictures  are  not  hard 
to  paint  with  words  or  brush.  It  is  more  difficult  to  trace  with 
accuracy  the  beginning  of  revolutionary  movements,  for  these 
are  from  their  very  nature  secret,  and  hidden  from  the  common 
view,  and  often  the  more  carefully  concealed  in  proportion  to 
their  importance.  It  has  been  my  pleasure  and  my  purpose  to 
seek  into  these  hidden  things.  In  these  pages  I  have  undertaken 
to  touch  the  spring  of  a  fresh  impulse,  and  to  unfold  the  story  of 
those  events  which  led  to  the  great  national  struggle  between  the 
North  and  the  South  in  the  war  for  the  union  of  the  States.  I 
had  a  singular  introduction  to  the  scenes  which  ushered  in  the 
mighty  c6nflict.  It  was  this: 

"  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
"WASHINGTON,  September  7,  1860. 

"To  ASSISTANT-SURGEON  S.   W.  CRAWFORD,  U.   S.   A., 

"NEWPORT,  R.   I. 

"The  Secretary  of  War  directs  that  you  proceed  forthwith  to 
Fort  Moultrie,  South  Carolina,  and  report  for  duty  to  the  com- 
manding officer  of  that  station.  Answer. 

"  Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
"W.  A.  NICOLS, 

"  Adjutant-General.  " 

The  manner  of  transmitting  this  command  was  unusual.  In 
those  early  days  the  telegraph  was  not  always  used  for  the  ordi- 
nary business  of  the  War  Department.  The  imperative  terms  of 
the  one  I  had  just  received  added  to  my  appreciation  of  its 
importance.  At  the  moment  of  its  reception  I  was  at  breakfast 
with  some  friends  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  where  I  was  enjoying 
a  short  respite  from  frontier  service.  Leaving  the  table  at 
once,  I  was  soon  on  my  way  to  Charleston.  As  I  journeyed, 


vi  PREFACE. 

there  was  time  for  earnest  reflection  as  to  the  cause  which  had  so 
suddenly  interrupted  my  visit  and  sent  me  to  the  far  South  in  a 
sickly  season.  The  heat  was  intense,  and  seemed  to  grow  more 
and  more  oppressive  after  we  passed  the  Potomac.  Our  train  had 
reached  South  Carolina,  and  was  crossing  the  Santee  River.  I 
had  fallen  into  a  reverie,  when  I  was  aroused  by  a  conversation 
directly  behind  me.  The  words  spoken  gave  me  my  first  intima- 
tion of  the  emergency  that  had  called  me  so  suddenly  from  my 
vacation.  The  stranger  said : 

"  There  is  no  use  denying  it,  and  the  papers  cannot  suppress 
the  facts.  The  yellow  fever  is  in  Charleston,  for  the  doctor  at 
that  fort  in  the  harbor  has  just  died  of  it." 

The  speaker  was  a  typical  Southerner,  and  he  spoke  with  a 
good  deal  of  emphasis.  So  I  was  on  my  way  to  take  the  place 
of  an  officer  of  my  corps  who  had  died  at  his  post,  in  attendance, 
possibly,  on  an  epidemic  of  yellow  fever.  My  position  at  the 
moment  was  that  of  an  officer  of  the  medical  staff  of  the  army, 
with  the  rank  of  captain  of  cavalry,  and  I  was  now  called  upon 
to  face  new  responsibilities.  I  approached  them  with  grave 
apprehensions. 

It  was  after  dark  when  the  train  reached  the  city  near  which 
I  was  to  be  stationed.  The  streets  were  almost  deserted,  and  I 
found  my  way  to  the  chief  hotel  with  some  difficulty,  to  find  few 
signs  of  life  there.  A  rather  dogmatic  clerk  and  a  sleepy  negro 
were  the  only  persons  on  duty.  The  clerk  suggested,  as  I  regis- 
tered my  name: 

"  You  are  an  officer  of  the  army  to  be  stationed  in  this  harbor 
—No?" 

I  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"Where  have  you  come  from?" 

"From  Newport,  R.  I.,"  I  replied. 

"  Don't  you  think  you  had  better  go  down  to-night  ?"  he  said 
to  me,  in  rather  a  marked  way. 

"It  is  five  miles  or  more;  what  means  of  conveyance  is 
there?"  I  asked.  "I  have  never  been  here  before  in  my  life." 

"None,  that  I  know  of,"  he  replied;  "  the  steamers  stop  run- 
ning after  3  o'clock,  but  you  might  get  a  negro  to  row  you 
over  in  a  skiff.  It  is  dangerous  to  stay  here." 

"No,"  I  replied,  "that  is  out  of  the  question.  I  shall  remain 
over  night  here." 


PREFACE.  vil 

"  If  you  do,"  replied  the  clerk,  "  you  will  be  one  of  the  few 
people  in  this  house." 

I  remained  all  night.  In  the  morning  I  proceeded  to  Fort 
Moultrie,  on  Sullivan's  Island.  I  had  only  just  entered  the 
fort,  when  a  message  from  the  commanding  officer  summoned 
me  to  the  bedside  of  the  servant  of  his  household.  He  had 
attended  upon  the  deceased  medical  officer  and  was  now  stricken, 
as  was  believed,  with  the  same  disease.  The  general  thought  was 
that  the  officer  himself  had  died  of  yellow  fever.  Recollection 
of  the  scourge  of  1856,  which  so  seriously  affected  Charleston, 
was  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  everyone.  Fortunately  there  was 
no  yellow  fever.  The  epidemic  changed  to  one  of  "  broken 
bone  fever,"  or  "dengue."  It  affected  the  entire  community, 
but  without  fatal  results  in  any  case. 

I  was  one  of  the  few  medical  men  in  the  vicinity.  This 
brought  me  into  friendly  and  rather  close  relations  with  the  com- 
munity. Thus  my  being  hurried  away  from  Newport  was  turned 
to  great  account.  This  accident  and  sudden  transfer  to  Fort 
Moultrie  gave  me  a  favorable  opportunity  of  noting,  studying 
and  commenting  upon  the  social  and  political  phases  of  the 
secession  movement,  just  as  it  began  to  take  shape  immediately 
after  Mr.  Lincoln's  election. 

At  this  distance  from  the  mighty  events  of  those  days,  the 
value  of  the  associations  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  have  with 
those  who  were  planning  the  first  strokes  of  disunion  can  readily 
be  appreciated.  The  records  are  uniformly  silent  upon  most  of 
these  grave  events.  The  files  of  the  War  Department,  in  the 
letters  and  reports  of  Major  Anderson,  and  in  the  admirable  and 
almost  daily  communications  and  journal  of  Captain  J.  G.  Foster, 
the  senior  engineer,  contain  a  wellnigh  complete  record  of  the 
events  in  their  special  military  relations  to  Forts  Moultrie  and 
Sumter.  But  any  connected  record  of  the  great  political  compli- 
cations, decisions  and  actions  that  influenced  the  Government  is 
wholly  wanting.  There  are  few  documents  in  the  State  Depart- 
ment, or  in  any  of  the  others,  which  give  authentic  information  as 
to  the  minor  details  of  the  early  features  of  the  struggle  with  seces- 
sion. Cabinet  councils  keep  no  minutes.  The  only  record  of 
its  action  that  can  be  reached  is  when  some  Cabinet  officer 
defends  before  another  generation  matters  which  cannot  be 
spoken  of  at  the  time  of  their  occurrence.  Much  was  done 


viii  PREFACE. 

orally,  and  to  such  an  extent  was  this  carried  that  the  important 
instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  Major  Anderson  on  the 
;th  of  December,  1860,  instructions  involving  to  a  greater  extent 
than  any  other  the  question  of  peace  or  war  to  the  country,  were 
carried  to  him  by  Major  Don  Carlos  Buell  verbally.  Not  only 
executive  officers,  but  whenever  it  could  be  done,  statesmen  and 
soldiers,  seemed  to  avoid  any  record.  Therefore  it  is  that  per- 
sonal observation  and  inquiry  at  the  time  becomes  of  such  vital 
value  in  writing  the  history  of  the  early  hours  of  the  controversy, 
which  finally  provoked  civil  war. 

Besides  constant  associations  with  leading  Southern  people  in 
the  city  of  Charleston  during  those  days,  I  was  in  almost  daily 
attendance  upon  the  convention  which  passed  the  Ordinance  of 
Secession,  until  its  doors  were  closed  to  all  but  the  members.  I 
kept  a  general  record  of  the  events  as  they  transpired,  as  far  as 
it  was  possible  for  me  to  do  so.  I  did  it  for  the  purpose  of 
embodying  at  some  future  time,  in  such  a  narrative  as  this,  the 
events  which  constituted  so  important  an  era  in  the  history  of  the 
country.  The  story  has  never  been  told,  save  in  fragments. 
Volumes  have  been  written  about  the  battles  which  followed  the 
intellectual  combat  which  provoked  the  war.  Statesmen,  philo- 
sophers and  laymen  have  given  utterance  to  much  that  occurred 
after  the  clash  of  arms  began.  But  the  connected  story  of  the 
beginning,  and  a  picture  of  what  the  combat  was  about,  have  never 
yet  been  presented  in  consecutive  form.  As  the  medical  officer 
of  Fort  Moultrie  and  Fort  Sumter,  I  was  brought  into  close 
relations  with  Major  Anderson,  and  was  a  part  of  the  beginning 
and  end  of  our  first  combat  with  secession  at  Sumter.  The 
Major  often  spoke  to  me  of  his  anxieties,  and  of  the  difficulties 
which  surrounded  him.  With  him  I  saw  the  first  and  the  last 
shot  sent  against  that  fort  that  aroused  the  country  to  war. 
Besides  personal  association  with  and  a  study  of  the  secession 
movement  at  its  very  initiative,  I  have,  through  years  of  inquiry, 
at  both  the  North  and  the  South,  reached  documents  and  con- 
clusions of  great  importance.  I  have  studied  and  here  presented 
them  with  much  care.  We  are  far  enough  away  from  the  preju- 
dices of  that  period  to  deal  dispassionately  with  them.  I  have 
called  my  work  "The  Genesis  of  the  Civil  War,"  and  advisedly. 
It  is  not  intended  to  embrace  a  recital  of  the  long  train  of  those 
predisposing  causes,  which  sprang  into  life  at  the  formation  of 


PREFACE.  IX 

the  Government  and  developed  into  a  fatal  antagonism  with 
the  growth  of  the  nation,  but  rather  those  of  an  immediate  and 
exciting  nature,  which,  precipitated  by  the  secession  of  South 
Carolina  and  proceeding  unchecked  in  their  course,  finally  from 
logical  and  irresistible  conclusion  plunged  the  country  into  war. 

In  a  spirit  of  what  I  have  meant  to  be  judicial  fairness,  I 
have  written  ideas,  stated  facts  and  compiled  documents  in  these 
pages,  to  which,  with  every  consciousness  of  the  imperfection  of 
my  work,  I  invite  the  best  judgment  of  my  countrymen. 

S.  W.  CRAWFORD, 
Brevet  Major-General,  U.  S.  A. 

UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 
PHILADELPHIA,  April  12,  1887. 


CONTENTS. 


PREFACE v          \ 

CHAPTER  I. 

United  States  Property  in  the  Harbor  of  Charleston — Description  of 
the  Forts  and  their  Armament — Their  Defenseless  Condition — 
Social  Relations  between  the  Officers  and  the  People  of  Charleston 

CHAPTER  II. 

Extra  session  of  Legislature  to  appoint  Presidential  electors — Governor 
Gist's  message  urging  action,  in  prospect  of  political  change — 
Action  of  Legislature — Caucus — Feeling  in  the  State— Action  of 
United  States  Judge  Magrath — Resignation  of  District- Attorney 
and  Collector— Provides  a  bill  for  calling  a  Convention  and  to  arm 
the  State  —Regular  session  of  Legislature — Governor's  messages 
and  recommendations — Feeling  in  the  State  —Washington  Light 
Infantry  offer  their  services 9-20 

CHAPTER  III. 

Political  situation  at  Washington — The  Cabinet — Their  individual 
political  views — The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Mr.  Cobb,  deter- 
mines to  withdraw  from  public  life  in  case  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  election 
— Views  of  General  Cass,  the  Secretary  of  State — Judge  Black — 
Mr.  Holt,  the  Secretary  of  War— Mr  Floyd— The  President 
determines  to  reinforce  the  Forts  in  Charleston  Harbor — Action 
of  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  Trescot — Southern  Members  of 
Cabinet  consult  —  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  writes,  asking 
Governor  Gist  to  write  to  the  President — Reply  of  the  Governor 
— President  sends  a  copy  of  his  Message  by  the  Assistant  Secretary 
to  Governor  Gist,  who  is  uninfluenced  by  it — South  Carolina  dele- 
gation arrive  in  Washington  -The  arrival  of  the  Assistant  Secre- 
tary with  the  President's  Message,  anticipated  by  telegram  from 
Washington 2I~35 

xi 


xi|  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  IV. 

President  recognizes  condition  of  things  -His  message  of  3d  December 
1860— Its  reception  by  his  Cabinet-  Resignation  of  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  Mr.  Cobb,  who  is  succeeded  by  Mr.  Thomas,  of 
Maryland — Effort  to  preserve  the  military  status  in  Charleston 
Harbor — South  Carolina  delegation  wait  upon  the  President — 
Their  interview — Written  statement  left  with  the  President — 
Understanding  of  the  delegation,  of  what  was  accomplished— 
Their  impression — Explanation  of  Messrs.  Miles  and  Keitt  to  the 
South  Carolina  Convention,  of  the  understanding  after  Anderson's 
movement  to  Fort  Sumter — Governor  of  South  Carolina  claims 
that  the  Government  at  Washington  was  pledged — Major  Ander- 
son not  informed  of  it — Return  of  Assistant  Secretary  of  State 
from  Charleston— His  interview  with  the  President — General 
Cass,  Secretary  of  State,  urges  reinforcement  of  the  forts— Presi- 
dent declines — Resignation  of  the  Secretary,  who  seeks  to  with 
draw  it— Declined  by  the  President,  who  tenders  to  Judge  Black, 
the  Attorney -General,  the  position  of  Secretary  of  State 36-44 

CHAPTER  V. 

South  Carolina  Convention  meets  at  Columbia — Organizes — Speech  of 
President  Jamison— Character  of  the  Convention — Its  composition 
— Relations  to  previous  conventions — Committee  to  draft  an  ordi- 
nance of  Secession  appointed— Adjournment  to  Charleston— 
Impatience  of  the  people— Assembles  at  Institute  Hall — Enthusi- 
asm— Session  of  the  Convention — Its  proceedings  bearing  upon 
the  public  property  in  the  harbor — Various  resolutions  adopted 
with  reference  to  the  Government  at  Washington — Committees 
appointed  to  report  ordinance  for  Convention  to  form  a  Southern 
Confederacy— Chancellor  Inglis,  of  Chesterfield,  reports  Ordinance 
of  Secession — Passed  unanimously — Governor  and  Legislature 
invited  to  be  present  at  Institute  Hall  to  witness  the  signing  of 
ordinance — Great  enthusiasm  as  procession  passed — Hall  crowded 
— Ordinance  signed  by  every  member — President  announces  the 
State  of  South  Carolina  an  independent  commonwealth — Quiet 
adjournment— Excitement  of  the  people 45-55 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Colonel  Gardiner  at  Moultrie — Makes  requisition  for  Ordnance  Stores 
— Issue  made— Excitement  in  consequence  —Telegrams  to  Wash- 
ington-— Relieved  by  Major  Anderson — Sketch  of  a  letter  of 
Anderson  to  War  Department,  24th  of  November — Importance  of 
this  letter — Force  under  Anderson — Work  going  on  — Attempt  to 
enroll  workmen— Correspondence  with  War  Department  on  the 
subject  56-67 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Letter  of  War  Department  declining  to  reinforce  —  Feeling  in  Charles- 
ton that  forts  would  be  taken  —  Anderson's  views  —  Letter  to  R. 
N.  Gourdin  and  to  his  rector  at  Trenton,  N.  J.  —  Sand-hills  around 
the  Fort  —  Refusal  of  the  Government  to  allow  him  to  reduce  them 

—  Importance  of  Sumter  —  Instructions  of  War  Department  to  An- 
derson by  Major  Buell  —  Substance  of  his  interview  with  Anderson 

—  Buell'S  order  given  to  Anderson  -  Criticism  on  itfrom  Buell  him- 
self— Further    instructions  from    President  not  to  make   a  des- 
perate defense—  Force  of  engineer  workmen  sent  to  Pinckney  — 
Muskets  sent  to  Pinckney  and  Sumter  on  Foster's  requisition  — 
Excitement  in  consequence  —  Action  in  Charleston  and  Washing- 

ton —  Muskets  returned  ......................................       68-78 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

F.  W.  Pickens  elected  Governor  of  South  Carolina  —  His  character  and 
history—  Sends  Major  D.  II.  Hamilton,  confidential  messenger,  to 
the  President  —  His  letter  demanding  Fort  Sumter  —  Interview  with 
President  —  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  interferes  —  Consults  Sena- 
tors Davis  and  Slidell  —  Letter  withdrawn—  President  sends  Gen- 
eral Gushing  to  Governor  Pickens  —  Failure  of  his  mission  -  Gov- 
ernor establishes  the  guard-boat  between  Moultrie  and  Sumter  — 
His  orders—  Press  of  the  State  urge  the  seizure  of  the  forts  .......  79~9* 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Work  pushed  on  at  Moultrie  —  Anderson  dissatisfied  with  flanking 
defenses  —Reports  to  Washington  —  Urges  importance  of  Sumter  — 
Requests  permission  to  occupy  it  —  Armament  of  Moultrie  —  Its 
defenses  —  Aggressive  feeling  of  the  people—  Armament  of  Castle 
Pinckney  —  Work  upon  Fort  Sumter—  Ready  for  its  guns  —  Guard- 
boat  appears,  and  report  made  to  Washington  —  Anderson's  orders 

—  His  understanding  of  them  —  Not  informed  of  any  understand- 
ing —  His  private  letters  —  Change  in  Anderson's  manner  —  Deter- 

mines to  move  his  command  to  Fort  Sumter  ....................     92-101 

CHAPTER  X. 

Major  Anderson  moves  his  command  from  Moultrie  to  Sumter  on 
December  26,  1860—  Excitement  produced  —  Crowds  come  to  the 
Island  —  Threats  in  consequence  of  movement—  Governor  sends 
Commissioners  to  Major  Anderson—  Orders  Major  Anderson 
to  return  —  His  refusal  —  Details  of  the  interview  —  Commissioners 
return  to  Charleston—  Raising  the  flag  on  Fort  Sumter—  The 
ceremonies  .  .......................  IO2-ir? 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 
CHAPTER  XI. 

Seizure  and  occupancy  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  by  the  State — Lieu- 
tenant Meade  at  Castle  Pinckney— United  States  Custom  House 
occupied  by  the  State — Lieutenant  Snyder  sent  on  a  special  mis- 
sion to  the  Governor — Interview — Memorandum  of  the  Governor 
— Colonel  Huger — State  guard  over  the  arsenal — Seizure  and 
occupancy  of  the  arsenal — Seizure  of  Fort  Johnson — Location  of 
sites  for  batteries  to  control  the  entrance  to  the  harbor — Star  of 
the  West  battery  located — The  Governor  reports  his  action  to 
the  Convention 1 13-175 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Restricted  means  of  the  garrison— Anderson  assumes  definite  position 
— His  opinions — Does  not  now  ask  for  reinforcement — His  letter 
of  January  6— Reasons  for  his  movement  to  Sumter — Personal 
views  in  his  private  letters  to  a  friend  in  Charleston,  and  to  his 
former  rector  at  Trenton,  N.  J. — Action  of  the  engineer  laborers — 
Increased  activity  in  the  harbor — Lights  put  out — Accidental 
notice  of  sailing  of  the  Star  of  the  West — Large  force  of  workmen 
landed — Arming  of  fort  pushed  rapidly  on — Short  rations— Offi- 
cers go  to  Fort  Moultrie  for  their  private  effects — Threatened 
with  arrest— Return  to  Sumter — West  Point  graduates  sent  to 
assist  the  men  —Forts  permanently  occupied — Action  of  Board  of 
Pilots-  Governor  issues  proclamation  forbidding  entrance  of  any 
vessel  bearing  aid  or  supplies  to  the  garrison — His  instructions  to 
his  officers  at  Moultrie  and  the  arsenal 126-139 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Washington — Effect  of  Anderson's  movement— False  report  of  rein- 
forcement— Telegram  of  Governor— Reply  of  Secretary  of  War — 
Commissioners  appointed  by  Convention — Arrive  in  Washington 
— President  appoints  day  to  receive  them — Arrangement  made  by 
agent  of  South  Carolina — News  of  Anderson's  movement  changes 
the  relations — Statement  in  detail  of  agent  of  the  State — President 
urged  to  restore  the  status — He  declines — Anderson's  movement 
without  his  orders— Secretary  of  War  telegraphs  to  Anderson — 
Anderson's  reply  confirming  report— President's  action — Cabinet 
convened — Discussion — Copy  of  order  by  Major  Buell  sent  for — 
South  Carolina  Commissioners— Interview  with  the  President — • 
They  transmit  their  letter  of  authority  from  the  Convention — 
Demand  explanation  of  Anderson's  movement  — President  receives 
Commissioners— Promises  reply— President  submits  draft  of  letter 
to  his  Cabinet,  who  are  divided  in  opinion — Northern  members 
threaten  resignation — No  conclusion  reached  —  Secretary  of  War 
Floyd  tenders  his  resignation — Correspondence  with  the  Presi- 


CONTENTS.  XV 


dent— Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Black,  determines  to  resign  if 
letter  is  sent — President  informed — Interview  with  Judge  Black — 
Question  of  personal  honor  urged  by  the  President — Commits 
draft  of  letter  to  Judge  Black,  who  comments  upon  it —President's 
letter  to  Commissioners — Their  action — Mr.  Trescot,  the  agent 
of  the  State,  interviews  the  President — Subsequently  sees  Mr. 
Hunter,  of  Virginia — Offers  through  him  that  the  State  would 
withdraw  from  the  forts  if  the  President  would  withdraw  Ander- 
son from  Sumter — President  declines — Attorney-General  Stanton's 
opinion — President  yields,  and  sides  with  the  Union  sentiment. . .  140-161 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Lieutenant-General  Scott — His  character  and  relations  to  the  adminis- 
tration—Confidence  of  the  people  in  him — His  "Views"  volun- 
teered to  the  Secretary  of  War — Their  peculiar  character — 
Published  without  consent  or  knowledge  of  the  President — Presi- 
dent's surprise — Regards  the  Views  as  likely  to  be  used  to  excite 
the  people  in  the  cotton  States — No  practicable  plan  proposed — 
President  believed  it  impossible  to  garrison  all  the  forts — His  duty, 
as  he  viewed  it  —General  Scott  comes  to  Washington — Secretary 
of  War  does  not  agree  with  him — President's  policy  in  contradis- 
tinction to  that  of  General  Scott — Feeling  in  the  country  that  Fort 
Sumter  should  be  relieved — Propositions  from  private  sources — 
General  Scott  persists  in  his  design  and  recommendation  to  rein- 
force Fort  Sumter — President  agrees  and  General  Scott  objects  to 
plan  proposed — Later,  again  urges  reinforcements  to  Sumter — 
Feeling  of  the  people — Voluntary  expeditions  offered — President's 
determination  to  send  reinforcements  in  a  ship  of  war  overruled — 
Finally  determines  to  send  an  officer  to  Anderson  with  certain 
inquiries— General  Scott  recommends  a  mercantile  steamer — Star 
of  the  West  substituted  for  United  States  sloop  of  war  Brooklyn — 
Preparation  for  her  voyage — Meantime,  Anderson  reports  himself 
safe— Sailing  of  the  Star  of  the  West — Details  of  the  voyage  and 
arrival 162-186 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Council  of  the  officers  upon  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West— 
Their  individual  opinions — Major  Anderson  writes  to  the  Gover- 
nor— His  threat  to  close  the  harbor  to  all  vessels — Sends  Lieuten- 
ant Hall,  under  a  white  flag,  with  letter  to  Governor — Scenes  in 
Charleston— Reply  of  Governor,  who  avows  the  act — Council  of 
officers  reconvened — Anderson  determines  to  send  messenger  to 
Washington— Lieutenant  Talbot  and  the  wr'ter  his  messengers  to 
Governor  informing  him  of  his  change  of  purpose — Safeguard 
given  to  Talbot  through  the  State  —  Governor  sends  messengers 


XVI  CONTENTS. 


to  Major  Anderson,  asking  delivery  of  Fort  Sumter  to  State — 
Interview — Governor's  letter— Officers,  reassembled  in  Council, 
reject  the  demand  of  Governor — Statement  of  messenger —Reply 
of  Anderson  to  his  letter— Upon  Anderson's  suggestion,  matter 
referred  to  Washington  —Lieutenant  Hall  selected  as  messenger 
by  Anderson,  Hon.  J.  W.  Hayne  by  the  Governor — His  special 
instructions— Departs  for  Washington 187-197 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Preparations  for  defense  actively  pushed  on— Guns  mounted — Ander- 
son reports  fifty-one  guns  in  position  on  2ist  January — Heavy 
Columbiads  mounted  as  mortars  on  the  parade — Scarcity  of 
material  felt- Arrangements  made  to  receive  and  transmit  the 
mails — Four  hulks  of  vessels  sunk  in  the  ship  channel — Want  of 
fresh  provisions — State  Secretary  of  War  sends  supply  voluntarily 
— Provisions  returned  by  Anderson — Erroneous  statements  made 
— Non-payment  of  contractor,  cause  of  interruption  of  supply — 
Deficiency  in  small  stores  -  Many  workmen  leave  the  fort — Efforts 
to  dissatisfy  those  who  remained — Return  of  Lieutenant  Talbot 
from  Washington — Approbation  of  the  officials  encourages  the 
men — Anderson's  forbearance  to  tire  upon  the  Star  of  tht  West 
battery  fully  approved  by  the  President — Letter  of  Secretary  of 
War  Holt — Not  the  purpose  of  the  Government  to  reinforce  him 
at  present — If  necessary,  they  would  be  sent  upon  his  application 
—Presence  of  the  women  and  children  embarrass  the  garrison — 
Anderson  applies  for  permission  from  the  Governor  to  send  them 
to  the  North — Permission  granted — Women  and  children  depart 
— Relations  between  the  Government  and  the  State  more 
clearly  defined — Governor  assembles  an  Ordnance  Board— Objec- 
tions made — Recommendations;  lines  for  defense — Sites  for  batter- 
ies suggested — Great  activity  displayed — Lighthouse  at  Morris 
Island  removed — Anderson's  caution  against  attempt  of  friends  to 
throw  in  supplies — Progress  of  enemy's  work  reported  by  Captain 
Foster — Anderson  reports  his  diminished  supplies — The  envoy  of 
the  Governor  opens  negotiations  with  the  Government 198-212 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Secretary  of  War  J.  B.  Floyd— His  relations  to  the  President— His 
early  position — Sympathy  with  the  South — The  De  Groot  claim 
— Action  of  the  Secretary — Claim  refused — Abstraction  of  the 
Indian  Trust  bonds— Substitution  for  them  of  bills  drawn  on 
Secretary  of  War— Violation  of  the  law — House  of  Representatives 
appoints  a  committee  to  investigate  and  report,  at  instance  of 
Secretary  of  Interior— Exonerates  that  officer— Secretary  of  Wai- 
implicated  —President  requests  his  resignation — Resigns  on  2gth 
December — Previous  order  of  Secretary  to  transfer  heavy  ord- 


CONTENTS. 


nance  to  Southern  forts  yet  unfinished — Excitement  in  Pittsburg, 
Pa.  -  President  notified— Countermands  the  order — Transfer  of 
small-arms  to  the  South  in  1859 — Investigation  by  House  of 
Representatives — Committee  on  Military  Affairs  relieve  him  from 
any  criminal  intent — Secretary  of  War,  upon  return  to  Richmond, 
chims  credit  for  the  act — Subsequent  appointment  in  the  Confed- 
erate army 213-217 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Envoy  of  Governor  of  South  Carolina  arrives  in  Washington — Informal 
and  unofficial  interview  with  the  President — Informs  the  Presi- 
dent of  his  mission  verbally — Action  of  Southern  Senators — Their 
communication— Envoy  complies  with  their  request,  and  with- 
holds his  communication  temporarily — Proposes  arrangement 
with  the  President,  to  whom  this  correspondence  is  sent — Presi- 
dent's reply  through  his  Secretary  of  War — Able  letters  of  Secre- 
tary, who  makes  known  the  purpose  of  the  President — President 
declines  to  make  any  arrangement — Will  reinforce  Major  Ander- 
son, should  he  require  it — Senators  again  address  the  envoy,  and 
oppose  any  collision  upon  the  part  of  the  State  until  their  States 
were  ready — Fort  Sumter  as  "property  "  —  Correspondence  with 
President  sent  to  Governor  Pickens— Reply  of  his  Secretary  of 
State,  Judge  Magrath — Reviews  and  criticizes  it — Insists  upon 
knowing  the  position  of  the  Government— Demands  surrender  of 
Fort  Sumter — President's  reply  to  be  at  once  communicated,  when 
Governor  would  decide  upon  his  course— Envoy  to  return 218-225 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Envoy  Hayne  presents  his  letter  to  the  President— Subsequently 
addresses  President  directly— Comments  upon  the  letter  of  Secre- 
tary of  War  -  Receives  further  instructions,  and  communicates  as 
special  envoy  —  Offers  to  make  compensation  for  Fort  Sumter — 
Comments  upon  the  President's  letter  to  the  Southern  Senators — 
Justifies  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West— Able  response  of 
Secretary  of  War  for  the  President — Fort  Sumter  as  "property  "- 
Answers  propositions  of  envoy — Right  of  "eminent  domain  "  can- 
not be  asserted — No  constitutional  right  in  President  to  "  cede  of 
surrender  "  Fort  Sumter — Right  to  send  reinforcements  "unques- 
tionable " — President  will  send  them,  if  necessary— Fort  held  as 
property  and  for  no  unfriendly  purpose — Envoy  replies  directly  to 
the  President,  and  leaves  Washington — His  letter— The  President 
declines  to  receive  it— Letter  returned  to  Colonel  Hayne  by  mail .  226-234 

CHAPTER  XX. 

President  embarrassed  by  Major  Anderson's  "  truce  "—Determines 
to  respect  it— Considers  that  his  instructions  should  have  guided 


xviii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Major  Anderson— Upon  departure  of  the  envoy,  new  expedition  re- 
solved upon — Members  of  the  Cabinet  interested  in  relief  to  Sumter 
— Letter  of  Judge  Black,  Secretary  of  State,  to  Lieutenant-General 
Scott— General  Scott  does  not  respond— Later,  Judge  Black  ad- 
dresses the  President ;  reviews  the  situation  —Urges  decision  of 
some  policy  in  regard  to  Sumter — Ex-President  John  Tyler,  a 
Commissioner  from  the  Peace  Convention  of  Virginia,  arrives  in 
Washington — President  sends  his  Secretary  of  State,  in  anticipa- 
tion of  his  visit,  to  call  upon  him — The  interview — President 
declines  to  become  a  party  to  proposed  agreement — Transmits 
message  to  Congress  on  January  28,  with  the  resolutions  of  the 
Virginia  Convention — Congress  ignores  his  recommendations — 
Subject  dropped— Commissioner  to  South  Carolina  presents  Vir- 
ginia resolutions  to  the  Legislature — Coldly  received — Governor 
Pickens  opposed — General  Assembly  declines  to  enter  into  negoti- 
ations-Commissioners continue  their  efforts — Ex -President  Tyler 
telegraphs  to  Governor  Pickens— Explains  position  of  the  Presi- 
dent—Reply of  Governor — Reports  of  interviews  to  relieve  Sum- 
ter—Reports  also  of  its  immediate  seizure  by  the  State—  Governor 
telegraphs  to  Montgomery,  asking  that  a  commander-in-chief  be 
appointed— Meeting  of  Cabinet  in  Washington  to  determine  upon 
plan  of  relief  to  Sumter— Details  of  plan — Additional  proposition 
of  Captain  G.  V.  Fox — Its  detail — General  Scott  approves  prepar- 
ations made — President  changes  his  mind— He  determines  to 
respect  the  appeal  made  by  Virginia — Will  not  precipitate  a  crisis 
— Astonishment  and  disappointment  of  General  Scott— His  subse- 
quent letter  to  the  incoming  President — President  Buchanan's 
statement— Captain  Fox  again  urges  his  plan 235-251 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

President  Buchanan's  views  as  to  the  coercive  powers  of  the  Govern- 
ment— Congress  meets — President's  message  of  December  2 — 
Review  of  the  political  situation — Recommendations — Denies  any 
danger  to  Southern  rights — No  right  as  President  to  decide  rela- 
tions between  Government  and  State — Secession  not  the  right  of  a 
State — Congress  no  constitutional  right  to  coerce  State  attempting 
secession — Recommends  "explanatory  amendment,"  recognizing 
property  in  slaves  and  their  protection  in  the  Territories — Mes- 
sage disappoints  Southern  leaders — Congress  neglects  to  act — 
President  sends  special  message  on  January  8— Reiterates  his 
position  and  views — Reasons  for  not  reinforcing  Major  Anderson 
— Jefferson  Davis's  opinion  of  the  message — Senate  refuse  to  con- 
firm Collector  for  Charleston,  S.  C.— Crittenden  amendment — 
Endorsed  by  the  President— Amended  by  wholly  different  resolu 
tion — Original  proposition  defeated — Peace  Convention  of  Virginia 
— Efforts  to  effect  a  settlement— Series  of  amendments  offered—' 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Propositions  made — Mr.  Crittenden  adopts  a  proposition  in  prefer- 
ence to  his  own — Senate  rejects  it — Cotton  States  pass  ordinances 
of  Secession — Seize  the  public  property — Congress  relies  upon 
time  and  the  incoming  administration 2^2-25$ 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Delegates  from  cotton  States  meet  at  Montgomery,  Ala.  — Form  a  pro- 
visional Congress — Executive,  legislative  and  judicial  departments 
formed — The  United  States  of  America  "a  foreign  country" — 
The  establishment  and  organization  of  the  "Government  " — Acts 
passed— -Assumes  control  of  the  "questions  and  difficulties" 
existing  with  the  General  Government — Nature  of  the  Govern- 
ment— General  Convention  not  competent  to  exigency — Declares 
itself  a  provisional  Government  at  first —Exercises  all  power  — 
Governor  Pickens  seeks  counsel  of  Jefferson  Davis — His  reply— 
Writes  again  on  the  aoth  of  January — His  letter — Governor 
Pickens  consults  the  Governor  of  Georgia — His  reply — Threat- 
ened attack  upon  Sumter — Mr.  Robert  Toombs  urges  against  the 
attack,  except  with  sanction  of  "our  joint  Government" — Reply 
of  Governor  Pickens — Recommends  the  appointment  of  a  comman- 
der-in-chief— Counsels  that  the  "Congress"  should  indicate 
jurisdiction — His  views  and  arguments — Thinks  on  I2th  of  Febru- 
ary that  he  is  prepared  to  take  Fort  Sumter — Asks  if  he  shall 
await  .orders,  or  act  himself —Jefferson  Davis  —  Provisional  Presi- 
dent of  new  Government— Appoints  a  general  officer  for  Charles- 
ton—Governor applies  for  a  "skilled  engineer  " — Captain  Whit- 
ing sent — His  adverse  report — Work  at  Cummings  Point  pushed 
steadily  on 250-272 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Salutes  upon  Washington's  birthday  in  Charleston  Harbor — Scenes  in 
Washington — President  countermands  order  for  parade  of  troops 
— Representative  Sickles  protests — Interview  with  the  President 
at  the  War  Department —President  yields — Parade  takes  place — 
Makes  explanation  to  Ex-President  Tyler — His  letter— Major  G. 
T.  Beauregard  selected  as  Brigadier-General  of  the  new  Confed- 
eracy— His  character  and  history — Proceeds  to  Charleston — 
Makes  thorough  inspection — Unfavorable  result — Absence  of 
systematic  organization  and  control— Operations  around  Sumter 
changed— Detached  batteries  located  on  shores  of  harbor— Fort 
Sumter  to  be  enveloped  by  a  circle  of  fire — Defenses  of  Fort 
Moultrie  rebuilt— Chief  Engineer's  accurate  observations  and 
reports— His  letter  to  his  chief— Major  Anderson  clearly  reports 
Ms  condition,  and  the  work  going  on  around  him 273-281 


XX  CONTEXTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

(-'lose  of  President  Buchanan's  administration — Condition  of  the 
country  -  Anderson's  letter  of  February  28 — Its  character— Esti- 
mate of  himself  and  officers — Relieving  force  necessary —Letter 
delivered  to  President  on  4th  of  March — Transmitted  to  incoming 
President  by  Secretary  of  War  Holt  on  5th  ot  March — Resume  of 
President  Buchanan's  course  in  dealing  with  the  seceded  States — 
His  failure  to  recognize  the  real  condition  of  affairs  —His  policy 
and  action— Secretary  Holt's  letter  accompanying  Anderson's 
communication — Misled  by  Anderson's  statements— Believed 
Anderson  safe— Line  of  policy  not  to  reinforce,  unless  called  upon 
by  Anderson,  adhered  to — Anderson's  previous  report  — Main 
statements  of  his  condition  -Impossible  to  relieve  him  without 
large  force  —Anderson's  views  in  private  correspondence — Import- 
ant letter  to  a  Rhode  Island  correspondent— Good  condition  of 
the  garrison — Annoyances  from  without— Irritation  of  the  people 
— Floating  battery — Anderson  asks  for  instructions  in  regard  to 
it — Reply  of  Secretary  of  War — Destruction  of  the  temporary 
wooden  buildings  on  the  parade — Ammunition  furnished  to  the 
batteries— Rearrangement  of  the  guns — Gorge  protected  and 
strengthened — Anderson  mines  the  wharf 282-298 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Work  at  Sumter — Reports  of  Anderson  and  Captain  Foster  -  Work  at 
Cummings  Point — Firing  for  range  from  channel  batteries  -  Foster 
reports  batteries  around — Inaugural  of  President  Lincoln — War- 
like construction  placed  upon  it — General  Beauregard  assumes 
command— Urged  by  Montgomery  Government  to  push  the  work 
— Reports  of  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter— Confederate  Secretary 
of  War  informs  Beauregard — Apprehension  as  to  mines — Cor- 
respondence of  Beauregard  and  Anderson — Terms  required — 
Anderson  "deeply  hurt"  at  the  conditions  imposed — Wigfall 
establishes  recruiting  station  in  Baltimore  for  the  Confederacy — 
Adjutant-General  Samuel  Cooper,  U.  S.  A.,  resigns  his  commission 
— Takes  similar  position  in  the  Confederacy — Peace  Convention  in 
session  in  Virginia — Defeats  resolution  of  secession — President 
Lincoln  determines  to  confer  with  some  prominent  Union  member 
— J.  B.  Baldwin  selected  —Propositions  said  to  have  been  made — 
Denials— Controversy  inconsequence— Baldwin  returns — Conven- 
tion passes  the  Ordinance  of  Secession — President's  proclamation 
— Both  sides  prepare  for  the  inevitable  struggle 299-313 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Confederate  Congress  authorizes  appointment  ot  three  Commissioners 
to  Washington— Messrs.  Crawford,  Roman  and  Forsyth  selected— 
Their  instructions— Commissioner  Crawford  arrives  in  Washington 


CONTENTS. 


— "  Fully  satisfied  "  that  to  approach  Mr.  Buchanan  would  be 
disadvantageous  — Commissioner  reports  to  the  Confederate  Secre- 
tary of  State — Senator  W.  II.  Seward  to  be  the  new  Secretary  of 
State  — His  peaceful  policy — Inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln— Com- 
missioner reports  to  his  Government — Commissioner  Forsyth 
arrives — Report  of  the  two  Commissioners — Senator  R.  M.  T. 
Hunter — Propositions  for  delay  made  to  Commissioner — Authori- 
ties at  Montgomery  consider  a  delay  a  doubtful  policy — Evacua- 
tion of  Sumter  to  be  insisted  upon — Secretary  of  State  declines  to 
receive  the  Commissioners — Associate  Justice  Campbell  offers  to 
mediate — Associate  Justice  Nelson  also  interests  himself— Question 
of  the  evacuation  ot  Sumter — Associate  Justice  Campbell's  memo- 
randa— Further  instructions  from  Montgomery — Warlike  arma- 
ments-Volunteers called  out  at  Charleston — Memorandum  of 
Secretary  of  State — Its  effect — The  Commissioners  leave  Washing- 
ton—Judge  Campbell  to  Secretary  of  State— Writes  to  the  Presi- 
dent— Sumter  fired  upon 3*4-345 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Anderson's  estimate  of  force  necessary  to  relieve  him — Referred  to 
General  Scott — His  opinion — Plan  of  relief  of  Captain  Fox — 
President  calls  for  written  opinions  of  his  Cabinet  in  regard  to 
Sumter— Views  of  the  Secretary  of  State— Opinions  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  WTar,  Postmaster-General,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury — 
Opinion  of  Brigadier-General  Totten,  Chief  Engineer— General 
Scott  changes  his  views — Abandonment  of  Fort  Sumter  a  "  sure 
necessity" — His  Memorandum  for  the  Secretary  of  War — Francis 
P.  Blair — His  interview  with  the  President — Letter  of  the  Post- 
master-General— Speculations  upon  the  opinions  of  the  Cabinet — 
Secretary  Chase  corrects  statement  of  his  position — His  letters— 
Final  position  of  the  Secretary  of  War 346-368 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

President  desires  further  information  from  Major  Anderson — Captain 
Fox  sent  as  messenger — Arrives  at  Sumter — His  interview  with 
Anderson — Statement  of  provisions  given  to  him — Visit  of  Ward 
H.  Lamon — Professed  object,  removal  of  command — Provisions 
being  rapidly  exhausted  -Anderson  asks  instructions — Firing  of 
batteries  upon  ice  schooner  attempting  to  enter  harbor — Ander- 
son sends  an  officer  to  Governor — Result -Important  despatch 
of  Commissioner  Crawford — Anderson  writes  to  Washington — 
Despondent  feeling — Important  communication  of  Secretary  of 
War — Powerful  battery  suddenly  unmasked  on  Sullivan's  Island — 
Effect  upon  Anderson  —Captain  Fox  accused  of  breach  of  faith — 
Charleston  authorities  seize  the  mails — Important  despatch  of 
Anderson  taken — His  letter 369-387 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 

South  Carolina  Convention  still  in  session — All  resolutions  referring  to 
Sumter  laid  on  the  table— Governor  requested  to  call  for  volun- 
teers—Military interests  transferred  to  Confederate  Government- 
Convention  adjourns  April  10  -Important  telegram  from  Commis- 
sioner Crawford— Anderson  alarmed  and  impressed  by  it — His 
earnest  letter  to  his  Government — Asks  for  instructions — Confed- 
erate Secretary  of  War  to  Beauregard — Conflicting  telegrams  from 
Washington  to  Charleston  —Lieutenant  Talbot  arrives  in  Wash- 
ington—President gives  notice  to  Governor  Pickens  of  his  inten- 
tion to  provision  Fort  Sumter,  and  to  reinforce  if  resisted — Talbot, 
with  Mr.  Chew,  of  State  Department,  goes  to  Charleston — The 
notice — Read  to  Governor  in  presence  of  Beauregard — Messen- 
gers' abrupt  return — Their  journey  impeded —Volunteers  called 
for — Anderson  reports — Feeling  in  Fort  Sumter — Floating  battery 
in  position— Provisions  exhausted— Boat  with  white  flag  ap- 
proaches the  work 388-400 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Affairs  at  Fort  Pickens — Quasi  truce  established — Chief  Engineer 
Totten — Communication  to  the  War  Department  in  regard  to 
Sumter  and  Pickens — The  President  not  yet  determined  upon 
his  course — Pressure  upon  him — Finally  determines — Orders 
troops  on  Brooklyn  to  be  landed  at  Pickens — Commanding  officer 
refuses^  on  account  of  "  truce"— "Provisional  expedition "  pre- 
pared— Its  detail — United  States  steamship  Powhatan — Her 
arrival — Her  preparation  to  refit  for  sea — Determination  to  send 
provisional  expedition— Other  expeditions  under  authority  of  the 
President — Its  detail — Action  of  Secretary  of  State — His  interview 
with  General  Scott— Result— Lieutenant  D.  D.  Porter  selected  to 
command  Powhatan  —Secret  orders — Interview  with  the  Presi- 
dent— Orders  to  Porter — Difficulties  in  procuring  funds — Attempt 
to  detain  the  Powhatan  —Finally  sails— Arrives  at  Pensacola — 
Result  of  the  Expedition— Fort  Pickens  supplied  and  reinforced — 
Provisional  expedition  sails  for  Charleston  Harbor — Its  late  arri- 
val— Fort  Sumter  bombardment — Absence  of  the  tugs— Expedi- 
tion unsuccessful— President's  letter  to  Captain  Fox 401-420 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Effect  of  notice  of  President  upon  authorities  in  Charleston — Their 
action — Reply  of  Montgomery  Government —Demand  for  the 
immediate  surrender  of  the  fort — Anderson's  reply — Verbal  state- 
ment to  the  messenger— Reported  to  Montgomery — Reply  of 
Contederate  Secretary  of  War — Anderson  declines  its  terms — 
Bombardment  opened  on  morning  of  the  I2th  of  April — Descrip- 
tion of  the  fire  of  the  batteries— Maintained  all  day — Mortar  fire 


CONTENTS.  xxiii 

PAGE 

all  night— Sumter  opens  fire  at  7  o'clock— Service  of  its  batteries 
— Effect  of  the  enemy's  fire  upon  the  fort-  Fleet  arrives— Men 
withdrawn  from  the  batteries  at  night 421-433 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Mortar  firing  through  the  night — Anticipating  the  fleet — Heavy  firing 
opened  in  the  morning — Fort  Sumter  replies  "early  and  spite- 
fully " — Scarcity  of  Cartridges — Fire  restricted  in  consequence — 
Quarters  set  on  fire  by  shells  and  hot  shot — Increased  fire  of  the 
batteries — Fort  threatened  with  explosion — Magazines  closed — 
Flames  spread — Woodwork  consumed — Flag-staff  shot  away — 
Flag  restored  at  once— Colonel  Wigfall  crosses  in  small  boat 
from  Cummings  Point — His  visit  unauthorized — Enters  the  fort — 
Interview  with  Major  Anderson — Terms  of  evacuation  proposed 
— Major  Anderson  consents -Wigfall  departs — White  flag  raised 
— Three  aides  of  Confederate  general  come  to  forl  under  white 
flag — Interview  with  Anderson  -  Aides  return  to  Charleston — 
Wigf all's  visit  without  knowledge  of  Confederate  general — 
"Formal  and  final  terms"  presented — Anderson  accepts — Con- 
dition of  the  fort — Effect  of  the  fire  upon  it— Casualties  slight — 
Four  men  wounded— Salute  to  the  flag  permitted— Serious  explo- 
sion, and  result — State  troops  take  possession — Captain  Ferguson, 
aide -de  camp  to  commanding  general,  raises  Confederate  flag 
over  the  work— Garrison  transferred  to  the  steamer  Baltic  which 
leaves  for  the  North 434-448 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Return  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  to  New  York — Their  separation 
for  service — Their  individual  careers  in  the  war — Present  condi- 
tion of  the  fort — Wholly  changed  in  appearance  and  in  its  arma- 
ment— Main  defense  of  the  harbor 449-458 

APPENDIX  I. 
Sources  of  information 459 

APPENDIX  II. 
General  Beauregard's  Order  No.  9 464 

APPENDIX  III. 
Extract  from  President  Lincoln's  Message,  1861 4°6 

APPENDIX  IV. 

Official  Report  of  killed  and  wounded 47° 

APPENDIX  V. 

General  Anderson's  letter  to  Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton 47  * 

INDEX  . .  473 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Fine  Steel  Engraving  of  Major  Anderson  and  his  Officers.  Frontispiece 

Exterior  Elevation  and  Sectional  View  of  Fort  Sumter.     Full  page. . .  3 
Sand-Bag   Parapet  at   Moultrie  as  completed  by  the  Confederates. 

Half  page 5 

Institute  Hall ;  or  Secession  Hall.     Full  page 49 

Sectional  View  of  Fort  Moultrie.     Half  page 63 

Major  Anderson's  Quarters  at  Fort  Sumter.     Full  page 109 

Fort  Sumter  when  occupied  by  Major  Anderson.     Full  page 115 

Fort  Johnson,  as  seen  from  Fort  Sumter.     Full  page 124 

Lower  Tier  of  Guns,  Fort  Sumter.     Half  page 132 

Closing  the  Embrasures  where  Guns  were  not  used.     Half  page 135 

Facsimile  of  President  Buchanan's  Letter.     Two  pages - 164-165 

On  the  Parapet;  Hoisting  the  Guns.     Half  page 199 

Mounting  Guns  with  the  Gin.     Half  page 208 

Hamilton's  Floating  Battery.     Half  page 270 

Adjustable  Shutters  on  Lower  Tier.     Half  page 297 

An  Embrasure  Outside.     Half  page  300 

Sketch  of  the  Armament  of  the  Fort.     Full  page 303 

Facsimile  of  Letter  signed  by  Governor  Pickens  and  General  Beau- 
regard.     Full  page. ...    396 

Parapet  of  Sumter  towards  Fort  Moultrie.     Half  page  417 

Parapet  of  Sumter  after  Bombardment.     Half  page 426 

Main  Gate,  Sally-port  of  Gorge  and  Flag-staff  after  Bombardment  of 

1863.     Half  page  . .     428 

Interior  of  Sumter,  showing  its  condition  when  reoccupied  by  the  U.  S. 

Government.     Full  page 436 

Inside  of  one  of  the  Magazines,  Fort  Sumter.     Half  page 438 

Governor  Pickens  at  Fort  Sumter  after  the  Bombardment.     Full  page  444 

Interior  of  Fort,  showing  effects  of  Bombardment,  1861.     Full  page. .  451 

Exterior  of  Fort,  when  reoccupied  by  U.  S.  Government.     Full  page.  456 

Large  Map  of  Charleston  Harbor 472 

zxiv 


THE 

GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

THE  STORY  OF  SUMTER 

186061 


CHAPTER  I. 

United  States  Property  in  the  Harbor  of  Charleston — Description  of  the  Forts 
and  their  Armament — Their  Defenseless  Condition — Social  Relations  be- 
tween the  Officers  and  the  People  of  Charleston. 

THE  summer  of  1860  found  the  United  States  in  possession 
of  certain  public  property  within  the  territorial  limits  of  South 
Carolina.  It  had  been  acquired  and  the  jurisdiction  yielded  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  State  in  the  usual  way.  There  was  no 
special  contract  between  the  Federal  Government  and  this  Com- 
monwealth, nor  any  feature  which  distinguished  the  legal  relations 
between  them  from  those  maintained  with  the  other  States  of  the 
U/iion.  She  had  accepted  the  Constitution  of  1787  as  her  sister 
States  had  done,  and,  notwithstanding  the  political  agitations  of 
which  she  had  been  the  peculiar  theatre  at  various  crises,  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the  laws  passed  in  pursu- 
ance thereof  had  been,  up  to  the  time  when  this  narrative  begins, 
the  supreme  laws  of  the  land  there,  as  they  had  been  elsewhere. 
The  military  property  of  the  United  States  in  and  about  the 
harbor  of  Charleston,  the  scene  of  the  events  with  which  we  are 
principally  concerned,  consisted  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  and  a 
large  arsenal  within  the  city  limits.  The  latter  was  surrounded 
by  four  acres  of  neatly  kept  grounds,  and  was  in  charge  of  a 
military  storekeeper  of  ordnance,  with  fourteen  enlisted  men.  Its 
stores  consisted  of  over  22,000  stand  of  arms,  besides  heavy 
ordnance,  with  a  variety  of  munitions  and  supplies,  and  were  very 
valuable.  Had  they  subsequently  been  within  reach  of  the 


2  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

beleaguered  garrison  of  Sumter,  the  story  now  to  be  written 
might  have  assumed  a  different  aspect. 

Three  forts  with  historic  names  guarded  the  entrance  of  the 
harbor  of  Charleston  from  the  sea.  They  had  been  designed 
solely  to  meet  invasion  from  abroad,  and  werenxmstructed,  in 
every  particular,  in  suggestive  indifference  to  the  possibility  of 
domestic  insurrection  or  civil  war. 

Castle  Pinckney,  a  small  round  structure  of  brick,  stood  at 
the  extremity  of  a  sandy  spit  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cooper  River, 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  city  of  Charleston.  It  was 
occupied  only  by  an  ordnance  sergeant  and  his  family.  Practi- 
cally, it  had  long  been  abandoned.  Grass  grew  on  its  walks,  its 
casemates  had  cracked  here  and  there,  and  signs  of  neglect 
and  decay  were  apparent  on  every  side;  but  twenty-two  heavy 
guns  still  stood  upon  its  parapet,*  and  the  old  sergeant  busied 
himself  in  keeping  bright  the  lacquer  upon  the  guns  and  round 
shot,  and  in  trimming  the  harbor  light  that  gleamed  from  its 
walls  by  night. 

Nearly  four  miles  farther  down,  and  right  in  the  jaws  of  the 
channel,  in  its  narrowest  part,  stood  Fort  Sumter,  a  large  brick 
pentagonal  fort,  fifty  feet  in  height,  with  its  faces  making  an 
angle  at  the  salient  on  the  channel  front,  and  its  flanks  running 
perpendicularly  to  a  gorge  that  formed  its  rear.  It  was  unfinished, 
and  without  armament  of  any  kind.  A  few  heavy  guns  of  old 
pattern  lay  in  rows  on  the  parade,  amid  dressed  masonry  and 
large  stones  and  material  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  One 
hundred  and  twenty  workmen,  under  the  charge  of  a  lieutenant 
of  engineers,  were  busy  in  the  completion  of  the  fort,  under  an 
appropriation  of  the  Act  of  Congress  of  June,  1859. 

From  its  very  origin  Fort  Sumter  seemed  destined  to  noto- 
riety. As  early  as  1805  the  State  of  South  Carolina  had  formally 
ceded  "  to  the  United  States  of  America  all  the  right,  title  and 
claim  "  of  the  State  to  Castle  Pinckney,  Forts  Moultrie  and  John- 
son, as  well  as  other  "sites  for  the  erection  of  forts"  at  the 
exposed  parts  of  the  State. f  But  it  was  not  until  1827  that, 
impressed  with  the  exposed  condition  of  the  harbor  of  Charles- 
ton, additional  defenses  were  determined  upon.  The  sea  had 

*  Four  42-pounders,  fourteen  24-pounders,  four  8-inch  seacoast  howitzers. 
Chief  of  Ordnance,  December  21,  1860. 

t  Statutes  at  Large  of  South  Carolina,  Vol.  V.,  p.  501. 


CONDITION  OF  THE  DEFENSES  OF  CHARLESTON  HARBOR.  3 


4  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

encroached  upon  the  site  of  Fort  Moultrie,  on  Sullivan's  Island, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  look  for  other  positions  for  defen- 
sive works.  The  shoal  opposite  Fort  Moultrie  was  selected. 
Without  consulting  the  State,  experimental  operations  were  begun 
upon  the  shoal  on  which  the  fort  now  stands,  and  a  report,  with  a 
plan  fora  "casemated  battery"  for  this  shoal,  was  submitted  by  a 
board  of  United  States  engineers,  and  was  approved  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  (P.  B.  Porter)  in  1828.  This  action,  without  their  ad- 
vice or  consent,  at  once  aroused  the  Legislature  of  the  State,  and 
upon  the  lyth  of  December,  1834,  the  committee  on  Federal  rela- 
tions of  the  House  was  instructed  to  inquire  and  report  as  to  the 
work  going  on,  and  whether  the  navigation  of  the  harbor,  as  well  as 
"  the  interests  of  the  good  people  of  the  State,  might  not  be  affected 
thereby."  But  the  committee  were  "  not  able  to  ascertain  by  what 
authority  the  Federal  Government  assumed  to  erect  the  works  " 
referred  to,  when  the  Legislature  formally  requested  the  Governor 
"  to  apply  to  the  Executive  Department  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment to  ascertain  by  what  authority  such  works  are  erected," 
and  to  report  the  correspondence  to  the  Legislature.*  Satisfactory 
explanations  being  made,  the  formal  cession  to  the  United  States 
of  all  right,  title  and  claim  of  South  Carolina  to  the  site  of  Sum- 
ter  and  the  requisite  quantity  of  adjacent  territory  was  made  on 
the  i yth  day  of  December,  1836.  It  was  in  1829  that  work  was 
begun  upon  the  fort;  when  finished,  its  armament  was  to  consist 
of  146  guns  of  all  calibres,  and  a  war  garrison  of  650  men. 

Directly  across  the  channel  eastward,  on  the  sandy  beach  of 
Sullivan's  Island  and  near  the  sea,  stood  Fort  Moultrie,  a  low 
water  battery  built  of  brick,  sixteen  feet  high,  with  one  tier  of 
guns  en  barbette,  some  bearing  directly  upon  the  channel,  that 
ran  within  short  range  of  its  walls.  It  enclosed  an  area  of  one 
and  one-half  acres.  On  its  cramped  parade  were  piles  of  balls 
and  shells,  and  an  old  furnace  for  heating  shot.  In  its  rear,  or 


*  Reminiscences  of  South  Carolina:  Gen.  W.  G.  De  Saussure. 

NOTE.  —When  it  was  known  that  the  General  Government  was  working  upon 
this  shoal,  with  the  prospect  of  occupying  it,  one  William  Laval,  a  resident  of 
Charleston,  obtained  a  grant  of  it  from  the  Legislature.  The  shoal  was  cov- 
ered at  high  tide,  and  thus  became  a  part  of  the  waterway  of  the  harbor,  and 
was  not  disposable  to  any  one,  nor  could  the  State  itself  occupy  it.  It  was 
soon  discovered,  therefore,  that  the  grar.t  to  Laval  was  an  error,  and  pro- 
ceedings had  been  instituted  in  the  courts  to  revoke  what  was  done,  when  the 
tormal  cession  took  place. 


HfSTOR  Y  AND  ARMAMENT  OF  FORT  MOUL TRIE.  5 

gorge,  two  stories  high,  were  its  sally-port,  its  guard-house  and 
its  offices.  On  the  left,  of  double  stories,  were  the  quarters  for 
officers,  and  opposite  were  the  barracks  for  the  men.  Its  name 
and  its  association  were  dear  to  every  Carolinian.  It  stood  near 
the  site  of  the  old  palmetto  fort,  where  the  troops  of  the  State 
line  repulsed  the  British  fleet  under  Admiral  Sir  Peter  Parker,  on 
the  28th  of  June,  1776.  Bearing  the  name  of  one  of  her  most 
distinguished  sons,  every  child  in  South  Carolina  had  spelled  the 
story  and  had  grown  up  in  the  belief  that  that  fort  and  its  his- 
tory were  peculiarly  his  own  inheritance.  Two  companies  of  the 


SAND-BAG  PARAPET  AT  KURT  MOULTRIE,  AS  COMPLETED  BY  THE  CuNFLDEKA I  !-:S. 

First  Regiment  of  Artillery,  under  the  command  of  the  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel of  the  regiment,  John  L.  Gardiner,  with  the  regi- 
mental band,  garrisoned  the  fort,  which  had  beepi  continuously 
occupied  for  many  years.  Its  armament  consisted  of  fifty-five 
guns  of  all  calibres,  including  ten  8-inch  Columbiads,  eleven  how- 
itzers, thirty  24  and  32  pound  guns,  with  four  brass  field-pieces. 
Its  fire  commanded  all  approaches  except  the  rear,  and  a  num- 
ber of  its  guns  concentrated  upon  a  single  point  in  the  chan- 
nel, by  which  every  vessel  was  compelled  to  pass  to  enter  the 
inner  harbor.  Unprepared  for  an  attack,  it  had,  in  long  years  of 


6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

disuse,  fallen  into  a  condition  similar  to  Castle  Pinckney.  The 
winds  had  piled  up  the  sands  on  the  sea  front  to  a  level  wittfand 
against  the  parapet,  and  communication  was  easy  from  all  sides. 
Without  a  ditch,  without  defensive  arrangements  of  any  kind,  it 
was  an  easy  prey  to  any  force  that  should  choose  to  attack  it. 
Some  of  its  officers  and  men  lived  habitually  outside  of  the  work, 
and  its  hospital  had  long  been  established  a  short  distance 
beyond  the  walls. 

The  sea  winds  had  piled  up  long  rows  and  hillocks  of  sand 
on  all  sides  of  it,  and  to  the  northward  especially,  and  command- 
ing the  approach  from  the  main  part  of  the  island.  At  a  dis- 
tance of  1 80  or  200  yards  from  the  fort,  a  range  of  sand-hills  had 
been  formed,  covered  with  a  sparse,  stunted  vegetation,  which  com- 
pletely commanded  the  parapet  upon  that  side  of  the  work,  and 
which,  if  occupied  by  riflemen,  would  greatly  embarrass,  if  not 
effectually  prevent,  any  service  of  its  guns  on  that  side.  To  its 
defenseless  condition  the  attention  of  the  Government  had  been 
earnestly  called.  As  long  before  as  the  i8th  of  June,  1860,  the 
acting  Assistant  Quartermaster  of  the  post  had  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  general  commanding  the  department  to  the  condition 
of  the  work,  and  had  made  a  request  that  the  sum  of  $500 
might  be  sent  to  him  for  the  purpose  of  removing  the  sand  from 
the  walls  of  the  fort.  He  urged  that,  if  it  was  the  intention 
"  that  the  walls  should  fulfill  at  all  the  conditions  for  which  they 
were  built,"  it  was  necessary  to  remove  the  sand.  "A  child," 
said  he,  "  ten  years  old  can  easily  come  into  the  fort  over  the 
sand-banks,  and  the  wall  offers  little  or  no  obstacle."  He  de- 
clares that  the  ease  with  which  the  walls  could  be  gotten  over, 
rendered  the  place  more  of  a  trap  in  which  the  garrison  might  be 
shot  down  from  the  parapet  than  a  means  of  defense.  "  It  looked 
strange,"  said  he,  "  not  to  say  ridiculous,  that  the  only  garrisoned 
fort  in  the  harbor  should  be  so  much  banked  in  with  sand  that 
the  walls  were  in  some  places  not  a  foot  above  the  banks."  Unfit 
for  attack,  incapable  of  resistance,  Fort  Moultrie  presented  an 
appearance  anything  but  formidable,  in  the  summer  of  1860. 
The  harbor  of  Charleston  had  not  been  overlooked  in  the  general 
appropriation  made  by  Congress  for  the  national  defenses  in 
1860,  and  the  sum  of  $8,500  had  been  specially  designated  for 
the  repairs  of  Fort  Moultrie,  by  the  act  approved  on  the  aist  of 
June.  Brevet-Captain  J.  G.  Foster,  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers, 


SOCIAL  RELATIONS.  7 

had  relieved  Capt.  G.  W.  Cullum,  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  en- 
gineering operations  in  the  harbor,  and  to  him  the  condition  ol 
Fort  Moultrie,  as  set  forth  in  the  letter  of  the  post  quartermaster, 
was  referred  by  the  War  Department  for  a  report. 

A  prompt  and  exhaustive  reply  was  received  from  that  officer 
on  July  2,  when  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  without  delay  to 
Charleston  and  commence  work  at  once  upon  the  fortifications  in 
that  harbor.  By  the  i4th  of  September,  the  work  was  begun  at 
Moultrie,  and  "  a  full  force  of  masons  "  renewed  the  work  at  Fort 
Sumter  on  the  following  day.  It  was  thus,  in  the  ordinary  rou- 
tine of  army  administration,  and  in  pursuance  of  an  Act  of  Con- 
gress making  appropriations  for  the  specific  purpose,  that  work 
upon  the  fortifications  in  Charleston  Harbor  was  begun  and  pros- 
ecuted in  the  summer  of  1860. 

But  however  regularly  and  in  accordance  with  routine  that 
work  might  have  been  undertaken,  it  soon  became  manifest  that 
the  renewed  activity  in  regard  to  the  forts  had  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  authorities  and  people  of  the  city  and  of  the  State. 
It  had  come  to  be  accepted  as  a  fact  that  the  coming  elections  in 
November  would  result  in  the  defeat  of  the  party  in  power,  and 
in  view  of  this  the  deliberate  purpose  of  the  State  had  been 
formed. 

Between  the  officers  of  the  garrison  and  the  summer  inhab- 
itants of  the  island,  as  well  as  the  people  of  Charleston,  the  rela- 
tions had  ever  been  of  the  most  agreeable  character.  The  mili- 
tary band  furnished  an  attractive  feature,  and  the  parapet  at  Fort 
Moultrie  was  the  daily  promenade  of  the  fashionable  throng.  To 
the  officers  of  the  little  garrison,  upon  whom  the  events  of  a  few 
weeks  suddenly  devolved,  perhaps,  the  gravest  responsibilities  con- 
nected with  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War,  the  severance  of 
these  social  ties — some  of  them  close  and  prized,  and  some  of 
them  strengthened  by  birth  and  connection — was  one  of  the  ear- 
liest as  well  as  the  saddest  consequences  of  their  peculiar  posi- 
tion. But  it  was  an  inevitable  consequence,  and  they  so  accepted  it. 

The  officers  of  the  garrison  were  no  exception  to  the  general 
rule  which  influenced  other  officers  of  the  army.  Reserving  to 
themselves  the  right  to  hold  their  individual  political  sentiments, 
it  was  without  reference  to  any  part  in  the  struggles  so  often  re- 
newed in  the  country;  their  allegiance  holding  to  the  Government, 
whose  servants  they  were,  without  regard  to  the  political  com- 


8  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

plexion  of  any  special  administration.  Embracing  every  shade 
of  politics,  they  were  nevertheless  a  unit  in  their  convictions  of 
duty  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  that  surrounded  them. 
Long  habits  of  discipline  and  obedience,  acquired  in  years  of 
service,  had  wrought  their  full  effect,  and  kept  them  unwavering 
in  the  discharge  of  simple  duty  until  the  last.  They  early  appre- 
ciated the  earnestness  of  the  leaders  and  people  of  South  Caro- 
lina, but  they  left  the  solution  of  the  difficulties  to  the  same 
tribunal  to  which  they  were  accustomed  to  refer  their  own — the 
Government  at  Washington.  But  as  the  days  went  by,  and  the 
determination  of  South  Carolina  became  more  manifest  to  them, 
and  they  realized  that  they  and  their  trust  were  the  offending 
features,  they  became  animated  by  a  single  purpose — resistance. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Extra  session  of  Legislature  to  appoint  Presidential  electors — Governor  Gist's 
message  urging  action,  in  prospect  of  political  change  —Action  of  Legisla- 
ture— Caucus — Feeling  in  the  State — Action  of  United  States  Judge  Ma- 
grath — Resignation  of  District-Attorney  and  Collector — Provides  a  bill  for 
calling  a  Convention  and  to  arm  the  State — Regular  session  of  Legislature — 
Governor's  messages  and  recommendations — Feeling  in  the  State — Wash- 
ington Light  Infantry  offer  their  services. 

SOUTH  CAROLINA  was  at  this  period  the  only  State  in  the  Union 
where  the  Presidential  electors  were  appointed  by  the  Legislature. 
In  accordance  with  an  Act  of  Congress  of  1846,  the  electors  for 
President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States  were  to  be  ap- 
pointed on  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  of  Novem- 
ber, of  the  year  in  which  they  were  to  serve.  The  Governor  of 
the  State  availed  himself  of  the  law  to  call  the  Legislature  of 
1860  together  in  special  session  on  the  5th  of  November,  not 
only  that  they  might  carry  into  effect  the  Act  of  Congress,  but 
that  they  might  take  action,  "  if  deemed  advisable  for  the  safety 
and  protection  of  the  State."  It  was  the  new  Legislature  that 
was  thus  called  upon  to  act.  Elected  in  the  previous  month  of 
October,  and  composed  of  the  younger  men,  it  had  been  chosen 
with  reference  to  the  anticipated  difficulties.  Promptly  upon  the 
day  specified  the  Legislature  met  in  special  session  at  Columbia, 
when  the  presiding  officer  of  the  Senate  (Porter)  announced  that 
they  were  "  all  agreed  as  to  their  wrongs ;"  and  he  urged  unanimity 
of  sentiment  and  action,  "  as  the  destiny  and  very  existence  of  the 
State  "  depended  in  great  part  upon  the  action  they  should  take. 
The  special  object  of  this  call  of  the  Legislature  could  soon  have 
been  attained,  but  the  Governor,  in  transmitting  his  message,  em- 
braced the  opportunity  to  call  their  attention  to  the  existing  polit- 
ical condition — that  "a  sectional  candidate"  would  be  elected 
to  the  Presidency  was  deemed  strongly  probable,  and  that  the 
party  electing  him  were  committed  to  measures  which,  if  carried 
out,  would  "  reduce  the  Southern  States  to  mere  provinces  of  a 
consolidated  despotism." 

9 


I  o  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR, 

He  suggested,  therefore,  that  the  Legislature  remain  in  session, 
and  take  such  action  as  would  prepare  the  State  for  any  emer- 
gency that  might  arise,  and  he  earnestly  recommended  that,  in 
the  event  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  election  to  the  Presidency,  "a 
convention  of  the  people  of  this  State  be  immediately  called  to 
consider  and  determine  for  themselves  the  mode  and  measure  of 
redress."  .  .  .  "The  only  alternative  left,  in  my  judgment,"  said 
he,  "  is  the  secession  of  South  Carolina  from  the  Union."  He 
thought  that  it  would  be  followed  by  the  entire  South,  and  that 
the  co-operation  of  other  States  was  near  at  hand.  He  recom- 
mended that  the  militia  be  reorganized;  the  whole  military  force  of 
the  State  placed  in  a  position  to  be  used  at  the  shortest  notice  ; 
that  every  man  in  the  State  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
forty-five  should  be  well  armed  with  the  most  efficient  weapons  of 
modern  warfare;  and  that  the  services  of  10,000  volunteers  should 
be  immediately  accepted.* 

In  a  retrospect  of  events  after  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Lincoln, 
we  find  no  act  so  full  of  meaning,  so  much  the  result  of  long 
conceived  and  cherished  purpose,  as  this.  It  seemed  that  the  mo- 
ment had  come  when  the  hopes  of  those  who  for  so  long  had 
influenced  Southern  sentiment  were  to  be  realized;  and  as  the 
Legislature  gathered  in  extra  session  in  Columbia  on  the  5th  of 
November,  it  was  with  a  determination,  long  before  reached,  to 
put  into  operation  that  machinery  which  should  separate  the  State 
from  the  federal  union  and  render  her  free  and  independent.  In 
this  conclusion  they  were  largely  supported  by  the  representatives 
of  popular  sentiment  throughout  the  State.  Prominent  men,  who 
had  long  been  known  as  the  representatives  of  the  "  co-opera- 
tive sentiment,"  had  now  changed  their  minds,  and,  in  speeches 
made  to  the  people  during  the  summer,  were  openly  and  boldly 
for  separate  State  action.  Conspicuous  among  them  was  W. 
W.  Boyce,  a  Member  of  Congress  from  South  Carolina,  who 
had  long  been  a  recognized  advocate  of  co-operation.  In  a 
speech  delivered  by  him  at  Winsboro,  on  the  gih  day  of  August, 
1860,  he  said:  "If  Lincoln  be  elected,  I  think  that  the  Southern 
States  should  withdraw  from  the  Union.  All,  but  if  not  all,  as 
many  as  will,  and  if  no  other,  South  Carolina  alone,  in  the 
promptest  manner  and  by  the  most  direct  means."  He  consid- 


*  Governor's  Message,  Extra  Session,  1 860. 


FEELING  PRODUCED  B  Y MR.  LINCOLN'S  ELECTION.      \  I 

ered  the  success  of  the  Republican  party  in  the  Presidential  elec- 
tion as  involving  the  necessity  of  revolution.  Upon  the  7th 
of  November,  ere  the  result  of  the  election  was  definitely  known, 
in  an  address  to  the  people  of  Columbia,  he  said:  "The  way  to 
create  revolution  is  to  start  it.  I  think  the  only  policy  for  us, 
the  only  thing  left  for  us  to  do,  as  soon  as  we  receive  authentic 
intelligence  of  the  election  of  Lincoln  and  Hamlin,  is  for  South 
Carolina,  in  the  quickest  manner  and  by  the  most  direct  means, 
to  withdraw  from  the  Union.  To  submit  to  Lincoln's  election 
is  to  consent  'to  death.'"  Such  sentiments,  and  from  such  a 
source,  produced  an  effect  marked  and  immediate.  They  were 
received  with  enthusiasm.  They  were  the  first  public  assertions 
of  a  sentiment  growing  daily  in  the  minds  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  people,  and  when  the  Legislature,  and  subsequently  the  Con- 
vention, met  and  acted,  their  decision  was  deemed  the  simple 
interpretation  of  the  popular  will. 

A  short  time  before  this  extra  session  of  the  Legislature,  a 
caucus  had  been  called  to  meet  in  Columbia.  At  this  caucus, 
letters  from  leading  public  men  (Pugh,  Bullock,  Yancey  and 
others)  of  other  Southern  States  were  read,  in  reply  to  categorical 
questions  put  to  them  as  to  what  action  they  desired  South  Caro- 
lina to  take.  These  letters  unanimously  counselled  that,  as  South 
Carolina  was  the  foremost  State  in  secession  sentiment,  more 
unanimous  in  her  people,  and  with  less  division  than  any  other 
State,  she  should  take  the  lead,  and  they  pledged  the  cotton  States 
in  her  support.  These  letters  not  only  silenced  the  claim  that  the 
other  States  were  jealous  of  South  Carolina,  but  at  once  negatived 
the  pretexts  of  the  co-operationists  and  largely  influenced  the 
action  of  the  Legislature.  But  while  the  determination  to  call 
a  convention  was  general,  if  not  unanimous,  the  time  at  which  it 
should  be  called  was  made  the  subject  of  short  but  earnest  dis- 
cussion, both  within  and  without  the  Legislature.  It  was  thought, 
by  some,  that  there  should  be  co-operation  with  the  other  Southern 
States;  that  it  was  the  better  and  more  expedient  course.  Others, 
again,  believed  that  the  State  should  await  the  commission  of  some 
overt  act  of  hostility  to  South  Carolina  upon  the  part  of  the 
General  Government.  But  the  counsels  of  those  who,  at  this  early 
period,  had  begun  to  assume  the  control  of  the  movement  pre- 
vailed. "  If  we  wait  for  co-operation,"  said  they,  "  slavery  and 
States  rights  must  be  abandoned  and  the  cause  of  the  South  lost 


I  2  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

forever."*  It  was  not  difficult  to  see  that  postponement  or  delay 
would  be  hazardous,  if  not  fatal,  to  the  movement.  The  failure  of 
co-operation  in  1850-51  was  recalled  to  the  minds  of  the  prominent 
men,  and  they  instanced  the  action  of  Virginia  in  now  declining 
to  join  the  proposed  conference  of  the  Southern  States  upon  the 
invitation  of  South  Carolina,  as  discrediting  the  cause  and  repu- 
diating the  action  of  the  State  Openly  and  earnestly  they 
urged  that  the  State  should  act  alone.  Public  meetings  were 
everywhere  held,  and  in  Columbia  the  arguments  for  immediate 
action  were  loudly  applauded,  and  endorsed  by  the  people.  The 
result  of  the  election  had  now  become  known,  and  was  received 
with  deep  feeling  and  with  a  conviction  that  the  crisis  so  long 
anticipated,  and  for  so  long  inevitable,  had  at  last  come;  that  it 
would  unite  the  South,  and  that  the  course  to  be  pursued  by  the 
State  was  now  clear,  while  any  apprehension  of  the  establishment 
of  a  free-soil  party  in  their  midst,  which  the  success  of  Mr. 
Douglas  would  have  created,  was  now  set  at  rest. 

In  Charleston  the  feeling  had  assumed  a  distinct  and  definite 
shape.  On  the  7th  of  November  the  Grand  Jury  of  the  United 
States  District  Court  refused  to  perform  the  duties  of  their  office. 
The  ordinary  business  had  been  disposed  of,  when,  in  response 
to  an  inquiry  from  the  presiding  judge,  as  to  whether  they  had 
any  presentments  to  make,  the  foreman,  Mr.  Robert  N.  Gourdin, 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Charleston,  replied: 

"  May  it  please  your  Honor,  It  is  understood  to  be  one  of  the 
functions  of  the  Grand  Jury  to  make  presentments  of  nuisances, 
and  to  suggest  to  the  court  and  to  the  country  such  reforms 
in  law  or  in  its  administration  as  may  to  them  seem  proper. 
These  presentments  are  predicated  upon  the  stability  of  the 
Government,  and  are  designed  to  promote  its  gradual  and  steady 
progress  to  the  highest  civilization. 

"  Hence  it  was  the  purpose  of  this  jury  to  lay  before  the 
court  some  matters  suggested  by  the  indictments  submitted  to 
them,  but  the  events  of  yesterday  seem  to  render  this  unnecessary 
now. 

"  The  verdict  of  the  Northern  section  of  the  Confederacy, 
solemnly  announced  to  the  country  through  the  ballot-box  on 
yesterday,  has  swept  away  the  last  hope  for  the  permanence,  for 
the  stability,  of  the  Federal  Government  of  these  sovereign 
States,  and  the  public  mind  is  constrained  to  lift  itself  above  the 
consideration  of  details  in  the  administration  of  law  and  justice 

*  Mullins  in  reply  to  McGowan  ;  Journal  of  the  House,  1860. 


RESIGNATION  OF  U.  S.  JUDGE  MAG  RATH,  13 

up  to  the  vast  and  solemn  issues  which  have  been  forced  upon  us. 
These  issues  involve  the  existence  of  the  Government  of  which 
this  court  is  the  organ  and  minister.  In  these  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstances, the  Grand  Jury  respectfully  decline  to  proceed  with 
their  presentments.  They  deem  this  explanation  due  to  the 
court  and  to  themselves." 

A  profound  silence  followed  this  announcement,  when  the 
Judge  of  the  court,  the  Hon.  A.  G.  Magrath,  rose  in  his  place  and 
formally  resigned  his  office.  He  said: 

"  The  business  of  the  term  has  been  disposed  of,  and  under 
ordinary  circumstances  it  would  be  my  duty  to  dismiss  you  to 
your  several  avocations,  with  my  thanks  for  your  presence  and 
aid.  But  now  I  have  something  more  to  do,  the  omission  of 
which  would  not  be  consistent  with  propriety. 

"  In  the  political  history  of  the  United  States  an  event  has 
happened  of  ominous  import  to  fifteen  slaveholding  States.  The 
State  of  which  we  are  citizens  has  been  always  understood  to  have 
deliberately  fixed  its  purpose  whenever  that  event  should  happen. 

"  Feeling  an  assurance  of  what  will  be  the  action  of  the  State, 
I  consider  it  my  duty,  without  delay,  to  prepare  to  obey  its 
wishes.  That  preparation  is  made  by  the  resignation  of  the 
office  which  I  have  held. 

"  For  the  last  time  I  have,  as  a  Judge  of  the  United  States, 
administered  the  laws  of  the  United  States  within  the  limits  of 
the  State  of  South  Carolina. 

"  While  thus  acting  in  obedience  to  a  sense  of  duty,  I  cannot 
be  indifferent  to  the  emotions  it  must  produce.  That  depart- 
ment of  government  which  I  believe  has  best  maintained  its 
integrity  and  preserved  its  purity  has  been  suspended. 

"  So  far  as  I  am  concerned  the  Temple  of  Justice,  raised 
under  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  is  now  closed. 

"  If  it  shall  never  again  be  opened,  I  thank  God  that  its  doors 
have  been  closed  before  its  altar  has  been  desecrated  with  sacri- 
fices to  tyranny. 

"  May  I  not  say  to  you  that,  in  the  future  which  we  are  about 
to  penetrate,  next  to  the  reliance  we  should  place  in  the  good- 
ness of  that  God  who  will  guide  us  in  the  right  way,  should  be 
our  confidence  in  our  State  and  our  obedience  to  its  laws  ?  We 
are  about  to  sever  our  relations  with  others,  because  they  have 
broken  their  covenant  with  us.  Let  us  not  break  the  covenant 
we  have  made  with  each  other.  Let  us  not  forget  that  what  the 
laws  of  our  State  require  become  our  duties,  and  that  he  who 
acts  against  the  wish  or  without  command  of  his  State,  usurps 
that  sovereign  authority  which  we  must  maintain  inviolate." 

The  address  was  received  with  profound  silence,  and  during 
its  delivery  many  of  the  spectators  were  in  tears. 


14  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  ClVlL 

The  resignation  of  the  United  States  District-Attorney  followed 
at  once  upon  the  same  day;  the  judge,  who  had  left  the  bench  and 
divested  himself  of  his  robes,  resuming  his  seat  to  formally  accept 
it.  That  of  the  Collector  of  the  Port  followed  soon  after,  and  as 
the  news  was  received  at  Columbia,  it  produced  the  greatest 
impression,  and  added  strength  to  the  arguments  of  those  who 
urged  immediate  action.  A  meeting  of  the  prominent  politicians 
of  South  Carolina,  including  the  whole  Congressional  delegation 
except  one,  had  been  held  at  the  residence  of  United  States  Senator 
Hammond,  near  Augusta,  on  the  25th  of  October,  1860.  Gov- 
ernor Gist,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  ex-Governor  Adams  and  ex- 
Speaker  Orr  were  present,  and  it  was  unanimously  resolved  by 
them  that  South  Carolina  should  secede  from  the  Union  in  the 
event  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  election.  But  of  all  the  circumstances 
that  indirectly  exercised  an  influence  on  the  Legislature  in  their 
action,  the  proceedings  in  the  United  States  Court,  then  sitting  in 
the  city  of  Charleston,  and  which  have  just  been  described,  were  by 
far  the  most  important  in  their  effect.  The  views  of  the  presiding 
judge  were  not  known.  During  the  fierce  conflict  as  to  the 
necessity  of  separate  State  action,  in  1850,  when  the  "denial  of 
equal  rights  in  the  Territories  "  reopened  the  whole  controversy, 
and  when  the  demand  for  separate  action  rang  through  the  State, 
and  divided  its  people  as  did  the  tariff  question  of  1829,  he  was 
fixedly  opposed  to  the  separate  action  of  the  State,  and  was  a 
zealous  advocate  of  the  co-operation  of  all  the  Southern  States  in 
whatever  conduct  should  be  adopted.  It  was  not,  then,  the  ques- 
tion of  the  right  of  a  State  to  secede  from  the  Union;  this  was 
not  doubted  anywhere  in  the  State;  the  question  was  simply  one 
of  the  expediency  of  its  exercise  under  the  then  existing  circum- 
stances. Invisible  forces,  acting  upon  the  popular  heart,  had 
induced  a  great  political  change  during  the  time  that  had  passed; 
radical  differences,  born  with  the  Constitution  itself  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  Federal  Union  and  the  limits  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, had  meantime  greatly  developed  themselves;  and  the  people 
of  South  Carolina,  with  a  new  generation  just  entering  upon  the 
theatre  of  political  action,  found  themselves  year  by  year  antici- 
pating the  time  when  they  would  become  a  party  to  a  controversy 
with  the  General  Government.  The  maintenance  of  that  theory 
of  government  adopted  by  South  Carolina,  was  deemed  not  only 
essential  to  its  welfare,  but  as  the  one  recognized  in  the  founda- 


POLITICAL  VIEWS  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA.  15 

tion  of  the  Union.  No  encroachment  upon  it  should  be  over- 
looked, and  when  a  proper  opportunity  was  presented  it  must  be 
met,  and  that  opportunity,  it  was  thought,  was  presented  when  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  popular  voice  had  been  expressed  in 
favor  of  one  for  the  Presidency  who  was  believed  to  be  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  political  enemies  of  the  slave-holding  States,  and 
whose  elevation  to  that  high  office  threatened,  as  was  supposed, 
the  existence  of  their  industrial  pursuits  and  the  overthrow  of 
their  political  institutions. 

Nor  was  this  view  confined  to  the  men  in  prominent  political 
place  only:  it  was  the  conviction  of  all.  The  result  of  the 
election  for  President  was  accepted  by  every  class  as  decisive  of 
the  action  of  the  State,  and  that  action  must  be  the  separation 
from  the  Federal  Union.  Its  form  of  political  faith  had  been 
affirmed  and  proclaimed  by  its  Governors,  its  General  Assem- 
blies and  its  judges  in  the  most  positive  and  solemn  manner,  and 
had  been  recognized  and  accepted  by  the  people. 

They  recognized  no  more  allegiance  to  the  General  Govern- 
ment, as  sovereign,  than  to  any  entirely  foreign  State,  excepting 
as  determined  by  the  conditions  of  the  Union  and  the  Constitu- 
tion. And  they  held  that,  whenever  these  conditions  were 
violated  by  the  Federal  Government,  the  sovereign  people  and 
Commonwealth  of  South  Carolina  had  the  right,  if  they  deemed 
it  expedient,  to  dissolve  such  allegiance. 

When,  therefore,  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  announced 
to  them,  they  saw  in  it  the  sure  precursor  of  danger  and  ruin. 
They  had  no  leader,  they  needed  none,  but  rushed  on  without 
further  thought  to  the  adoption  of  what  they  considered  a  proper 
exercise  of  their  right  and  their  most  certain  protection.  Like 
others  who  had  been  the  advocates  of  co-operation  in  1850,  the 
United  States  Judge  had  accepted  the  conclusion  that  net  only  was 
there  now  sufficient  cause  for  separate  State  action,  but  that  the 
dissolution  of  its  relation  with  the  Union  was  necessary  to  the 
welfare  of  the  State. 

In  accordance  with  this  conviction  his  sudden  announcement 
and  action  in  the  United  States  District  Court  at  Charleston 
produced  an  effect  so  marked  and  immediate  as  to  give  an  increased 
impetus  to  the  movement.  Its  result  was  felt  not  only  in  Charles- 
ton and  in  the  State;  it  reached  to  Washington.  The  President 
saw  the  whole  Federal  machinery,  upon  which  he  relied  in  the 


1 6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

exercise  of  his  constitutional  powers  to  enforce  the  laws,  swept 
away  at  once,  and  himself  without  any  power  to  restore  it. 
Meantime  a  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  was  held  in  Charles- 
ton, at  which  a  committee,  consisting  of  the  three  prominent 
citizens  who  had  lately  resigned  from  Federal  office,  was  appointed 
to  go  to  Columbia  and  urge  immediate  action  upon  the  Legisla- 
ture. The  members  of  the  Charleston  delegation  had  been  divi- 
ded in  opinion  as  to  the  time  at  which  the  Convention  should  be 
called.  It  was  urged  that  more  efficient  action  could  be  relied 
upon  if  the  call  for  a  Convention  was  postponed  until  near  the 
close  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the 
committee  from  Charleston,  however,  the  delegation  was  called 
together  to  confer  with  them,  when,  after  the  interview,  they 
became  a  unit  for  immediate  action. 

It  was  under  such  influences  that  the  Legislature  had  met  in 
extra  session,  when,  without  discussion,  without  the  display  of 
emotion  or  feeling  inseparable  from  debate,  without  any  demand 
for  hasty  action,  a  resolution  was  offered  in  the  Senate  on  the 
second  day  of  the  session,  making  so  much  of  the  Governor's 
message  as  refers  to  a  call  of  the  people  of  this  State,  the  reorgan- 
ization of  the  militia,  and  preparations  for  the  defense  of  the  State 
the  special  order  for  the  following  day.  The  committee  on 
Federal  relations  was  ordered  to  report  a  bill,  which  was  done  on 
the  8th  of  November.  It  provided  for  calling  a  convention  for 
the  purpose  of  secession.  It  was  soon  disposed  of.  Upon  its 
second  reading,  on  the  pth,  it  received  but  one  dissenting  voice, 
that  of  Mr.  McAlilley,  Senator  from  Chester,  and  upon  its  final 
passage,  on  the  loth,  the  vote  was  42  in  the  affirmative,  and  in  the 
negative,  none.  In  the  House  a  similar  course  had  been  pursued. 
The  Senate  Bill,  with  the  report  of  the  committee  on  Federal 
relations  of  the  House,  was  recommitted  to  the  committee  of  the 
whole  House,  which  discussed  it,  and  on  the  i2th  it  was  passed 

NOTE. — In  a  conversation  with  Judge  Black  on  the  loth  of  January,  1883, 
I  mentioned  to  him  that  I  was  about  to  visit  Charleston,  S.  C. ;  that  some  of 
those  who  had  been  conspicuous  in  the  early  days  of  the  war  were  still  living ; 
and  that  I  hoped  to  see  them,  and  especially  to  converse  at  length  with  Judge 
Magrath.  "  Is  Judge  Magrath  still  living  ?  "  inquired  Judge  Black;  "  the  act 
of  that  man  caused  more  anxiety  to  Mr.  Buchanan  than  any  other  event  that 
occurred,  except  Anderson's  movement  from  Moultrie  to  Sumter."  He  thought 
that  the  only  thing  to  be  done  was  to  refill  the  Federal  offices  thus  vacated, 
and  that  he  believed  to  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible. — [AUTHOR.] 


SOUTH  CAROLINA  LEGISLA  TURE  MEETS.  \  *] 

by  a  vote  of  114  in  the  affirmative,  and  in  the  negative  none. 
The  election  for  delegates  was  to  be  held  on  the  6th  of  Decem- 
ber, and  the  Convention  to  meet  on  the  i7th.  Other  resolutions 
were  adopted,  authorizing  the  committees  on  military  affairs  of 
the  Senate  and  House  to  meet  during  the  recess,  and  to  prepare  a 
plan  for  arming  the  State,  to  organize  a  permanent  military 
bureau,  and  to  reorganize  the  militia.  On  the  i3th  the  Governor 
communicated  to  the  Legislature  the  resignation  of  United  States 
Senator  Hammond.  Resolutions  were  at  once  passed  in  both 
Houses,  recognizing  the  act  of  Senator  Hammond  as  one  of  loy- 
alty and  devotion  to  the  sovereignty  of  South  Carolina,  "  at  once 
worthy  of  his  high  character  and  filial  devotion."  The  Legisla- 
ture then  adjourned,  having  fully  accomplished  the  object  of 
their  extra  session. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  the  Legislature  of  the  State  again 
met  in  regular  session.  So  confidently  was  the  secession  of  the 
State  anticipated  that  measures  looking  to  its  prospective  political 
relation  were  freely  discussed  and  commented  upon.  The 
Governor,  upon  the  reassembling  of  the  Legislature,  transmitted 
a  message  rehearsing  the  arguments  for  secession  and  counselling 
prompt  and  independent  action.  "  In  looking  forward,"  said  he,  "  to 
the  separate  nationality  of  South  Carolina,  many  changes  will 
have  to  be  made  in  existing  laws;"  and  among  others  he  recom- 
mends that  the  law  prohibiting  masters  from  permitting  negroes 
to  hire  their  own  time  and  make  contracts,  should  be  so  amended 
as  to  attach  a  penalty  of  fine  and  imprisonment  to  the  parties 
violating  it;  that  no  slave  mechanic  should  be  permitted  to  hire 
white  men  to  work  under  his  direction ;  and  that  it  must  be 
distinctly  understood  that  the  white  is  the  governing  race  without 
an  exception,  and  without  regard  to  a  disparity  of  intellect,  merit 
or  acquirements;  and  he  recommends  the  enactment  of  a  law 
"  punishing  summarily  and  severely,  if  not  with  death,  any  person 
that  circulates  incendiary  documents,  avows  himself  an  abolitionist, 
or  in  any  way  attempts  to  create  insubordination  or  insurrection 
among  the  slaves;"  that  the  effort  to  call  a  convention  of  the 
Southern  States  had  failed,  and  that  there  was  but  one  course  left 
for  South  Carolina  to  pursue,  and  that  was,  "  to  go  straight  forward 
to  the  consummation  of  her  purpose;"  that  she  would  not  stand 
alone;  she  had  the  right  to  secede  peaceably,  and  the  Government 
could  not  rightfully  prevent  a  State  from  seceding,  but  that  "  men 


I  8  THE  GEXESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

having  arms  in  their  hands  may  use  them;"  and  he  earnestly 
urged  upon  the  Legislature  the  necessity  of  arming  the  State  at 
the  earliest  practicable  period,  and  thus  be  prepared  for  the  worst. 
"It  is  gratifying  to  know,"  he  said,  "that  if  we  must  resort  to 
arms  in  defense  of  our  rights,  and  a  blow  should  be  struck  at 
South  Carolina  before  the  other  States  move  up  in  line,  we  have  the 
tender  of  volunteers  from  all  the  Southern  and  some  of  the  North 
ern  States,  to  repair  promptly  to  our  standard  and  share  our 
fortunes."  At  the  close  of  his  official  term,  the  Governor  trans- 
mitted a  second  and  final  message,  reiterating  the  fact  that  the 
State  had  at  last  determined  to  "part  company  with  those  that 
treat  her  as  aliens  and  enemies,"  and  that,  "having  forever  closed 
the  door  from  which  we  have  passed  out  ot  the  Union,  we  may 
with  safety  seek  co-operation  and  unite  with  other  States."* 

The  delay  of  the  Convention  for  a  single  week  to  pass  the 
ordinance  of  secession  would  have  a  blighting  and  chilling  influ- 
ence upon  the  other  Southern  States,  and  he  trusted  that  by  the 
25th  of  December  no  flag  but  the  Palmetto  would  float  over  any  part 
of  the  State  of  South  Carolina.  At  the  same  time  he  presented  to 
the  Legislature  "  one  of  the  pikes  intended  by  John  Brown  to  be 
used  by  the  negroes  of  Virginia  upon  the  unoffending  and  peace- 
able inhabitants  of  that  State;"  and  he  repeated  the  request  of 
Mr.  Ruffin,  of  Virginia,  who  had  brought  it,  that  it  might  be 
placed  in  some  conspicuous  position  in  the  State  House  at 
Columbia,  there  to  remain  and  be  preserved  as  an  abiding  and 
impressive  evidence  of  the  fanatical  hatred  borne  by  the  dominant 
Northern  party  to  the  institutions  and  people  of  the  Southern 
States,  and  he  recommended  that  the  thanks  of  the  State  be 
returned  to  Mr.  Ruffin  for  this  memento  of  Southern  wrongs  too 
long  and  too  patiently  borne.  It  was  thus  that  public  sentiment 
was  formed  and  supported  by  personal  and  official  influences,  and 
with  a  special  reference  to  its  effect  upon  the  Convention  so  soon 
to  assemble  at  Columbia. 

But  even  at  this  early  period  the  current  of  events  was  lead- 
ing to  the  open  assertion  of  what  was  considered  in  South  Carolina 
as  the  rights  of  their  State;  and  a  conviction  was  rapidly  growing 
in  the  minds  of  the  people  that  such  assertion,  if  maintained, 


*  It  would  appear  that  co-operation  before  individual  State  action  was 
regarded  as  unwise,  and  in  the  nature  of  a  conspiracy. 


MILITAR  Y  ORGANIZA  TIONS  MO  VlNG.  \  g 

would  inevitably  result  in  a  conflict  with  the  General  Government. 
Military  organizations  had  begun  to  act,  and  as  early  as  the  2oth 
of  October  the  Washington  Light  Infantry,  an  elite  corps  of 
Charleston,  at  a  special  meeting  held  by  them  had  taken  into 
consideration  "the  threatening  aspect  of  affairs  and  the  necessity  of 
preparing  to  meet  the  emergency."  Their  commanding  officer, 
Captain  Simonton,  suggested  that  preparations  be  made  "  to  take 
the  field  at  a  moment's  warning,"  and  a  resolution  was  offered  by 
one  of  their  number,  Sergeant  W.  A.  Courtenay,*  and  unanimously 
adopted,  that  the  services  of  the  organization  should  be  offered  to 
the  Governor  as  an  independent  Battalion  of  Light  Troops  "of  not 
less  than  two  hundred  men,"  and  in  case  of  service  they  should  be 
so  recognized. 

To  this  prompt  tender  of  their  services  the  Governor  replied, 
accepting  it  conditionally,  and  expressing  an  opinion  that,  from 
the  signs  of  the  times,  "  South  Carolina  will  require  the  support  of 
all  her  sons,"  when  he  would  place  the  organization  in  "the  front 
rank  of  its  country's  defenders." 

As  soon  as  the  result  of  the  election  was  known,  the  Governor 
called  for  the  services  of  the  Washington  Light  Infantry,  and,  as 
will  be  subsequently  seen,  stationed  them  as  a  guard  over  the 
United  States  Arsenal  in  the  city  of  Charleston,  on  the  rath  of 
November. 


'  The  present  efficient  mayor  of  Charleston,  S.  C. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Political  situation  at  Washington — The  Cabinet — Their  individual  political 
views — The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Mr.  Cobb,  determines  to  with- 
draw from  public  life  in  case  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  election — Views  of  General 
Cass,  the  Secretary  of  State— Judge  Black— Mr.  Holt,  the  Secretary  of 
War — Mr.  Floyd — The  President  determines  to  reinforce  the  Forts  in 
Charleston  Harbor — Action  of  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  Trescot — 
Southern  Members  of  Cabinet  consult — Assistant  Secretary  of  State  writes, 
asking  Governor  Gist  to  write  to  the  President — Reply  of  the  Governor — 
President  sends  a  copy  of  his  Message  by  the  Assistant  Secretary  to  Gov- 
ernor Gist,  who  is  uninfluenced  by  it — South  Carolina  delegation  arrive 
in  Washington — The  arrival  of  the  Assistant  Secretary  with  the  President's 
Message,  anticipated  by  telegram  from  Washington. 

MEANTIME,  the  Government  at  Washington  was  not  indiffer- 
ent to  the  movements  in  South  Carolina.  The  President  and 
Cabinet  had  recognized  the  certainty  of  a  great  political  change; 
and  the  prospect  of  the  advent  to  power  of  a  party  wholly  com- 
mitted to  a  national  policy  diametrically  opposed  to  their  own 
was  fully  anticipated.  Men  of  prominence  in  the  South  had  gone 
northward,  and  had  satisfied  themselves  of  the  impending  change, 
and,  in  passing  through  Washington  on  their  return,  had  freely 
expressed  their  convictions.  In  spite  of  the  angry  discussions  in 
and  out  of  Congress,  the  full  meaning  of  which  but  few  realized, 
the  country  and  the  Cabinet  simply  drifted  through  the  long  sum- 
mer into  a  condition  of  things  the  only  solution  of  which  was 
war.  The  great  national  issues  which  had  divided  the  Whig  and 
Democratic  parties  had  ceased  to  interest  or  control  popular  opin- 
ion. The  fierce  discussions  of  the  slavery  question,  which  had 
for  some  years  past  excited  and  embittered  the  popular  temper, 
had  resulted  in  the  complete  extinction  of  the  Whig  party;  and 
in  the  coming  contest  the  Democratic  party  found  itself  opposed 
by  a  new  organization,  which,  from  the  very  character  of  its  prin- 
ciples and  measures,  made  the  political  issue  one  between  the 
North  and  the  South.  It  was  obvious  that  if  this  party  succeeded, 
and  the  South,  believing  itself  placed  on  the  defensive,  should  carry 
out  the  policy  of  resistance  which  it  had  declared  in  advance,  the 


MR.  BUCHANAN'S  CABINET.  21 

close  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration  would  be  a  troubled 
one,  and  his  Cabinet  would  be  divided  into  hostile  factions. 
In  the  condition  of  things  just  developing,  there  could  be  no 
unity  of  administration  in  a  Cabinet  which  represented  such  con- 
flicting interests  and  opinions.  Mr.  Buchanan's  Cabinet  consisted 
of  three  Northern  men,  General  Cass,  of  Michigan,  Secretary  of 
State;  Mr.  Toucey,  of  Connecticut,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
Judge  J.  S.  Black,  of  Pennsylvania,  Attorney-General;  and  of 
four  Southern  men,  Mr.  Howell  Cobb,  of  Georgia,  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury;  Gov.  J.  B.  Floyd,  of  Virginia,  Secretary  of  War; 
Mr.  Jacob  Thompson,  of  Mississippi,  Secretary  of  the  Interior; 
and  Mr.  J.  Holt,  of  Kentucky,  Postmaster-General. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Trescot,  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  who  had 
been  Acting  Secretary  under  the  President's  warrant  during  the 
absence  of  General  Cass,  from  June  to  October,  1860,  was  a 
native  of  South  Carolina.  His  relations  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
and  the  President  were  known  to  be  close,  while  he  was  naturally 
in  friendly  connection  with  the  Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet, 
and  intimately  so  with  the  leaders  of  the  movement  in  his  own 
State;  and  he  was  soon  sought  as  the  exponent  and  the  vehicle 
of  their  views  and  intentions  in  the  antagonism  that  seemed  to 
be  daily  developing  between  the  Government  at  Washington  and 
South  Carolina.  After  severing  his  connection  with  the  Cabinet, 
he  becrme  the  agent  of  his  State,  and  immediately  upon  his 
return  to  South  Carolina,  in  February,  1861,  he  made  a  record  of 
his  impressions  of  the  "  events  which  have  been  the  subject  of  so 
much  controversy,  and  the  truth  about  which  is  of  essential 
importance  to  the  future  history  of  the  country."  A  record 
thus  made  may  well  be  considered  a  valuable  contribution  to  the 
materials  of  that  future  history.  It  is  from  this  manuscript  the 
writer  has  drawn  largely;  and  oftentimes  the  clear  and  vigorous 
narrative  has  been  inserted  in  the  terse  and  graphic  words  of  the 
author  himself.  He  says: 

"  Placed  thus,  at  the  head  of  the  State  Department,  my  rela- 
tions with  the  President,  the  Cabinet  and  the  foreign  ministers 
were  naturally  and  necessarily  freer  and  more  intimate  than 
they  would  have  been  under  ordinary  circumstances.  I  was  thus 
familiar  with  the  hopes  and  fears,  the  opinions  and  expectations, 
which  agitated  the  rulers  of  the  country  during  that  exciting 
period  which  preceded  the  secession  of  South  Carolina,  while  my 


22  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

correspondence  from  home  kept  me  fully  informed  how  public 
opinion  there  was  preparing  for  the  inevitable  issue.  During  the 
summer  all  the  political  signs  confirmed  the  belief  that  the  defeat 
of  the  Democratic  party  was  certain.  The  Southern  Senators 
and  members  who  had  at  the  close  of  the  session  gone  North  to 
judge  for  themselves,  all  in  passing  through  Washington  bore  the 
same  invariable  testimony  as  to  what  they  had  seen  and  heard. 
Evidence  of  all  sorts  flowed  in  upon  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  party  which  sat  at  the  Capitol,  and  to  the  same  effect.  One 
sort  of  testimony  struck  me  particularly.  The  State  Department 
had  the  selection  of  papers  in  which  to  publish  the  Laws,  so 
many  papers  for  each  State,  and  as  the  patronage  was  not  very 
considerable,  it  was  distributed,  of  course,  with  a  view  to  party 
influence.  The  applications  for  these  appointments  brought  me 
in  contact  with  political  editors  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and, 
with  every  disposition  and  every  temptation  to  be  sanguine,  their 
statements  only  confirmed  the  certainty  of  a  great  political  defeat. 

"  The  President  and  the  Cabinet  had  full  time  to  consider  their 
positions. 

"  The  President  and  Governor  Toucey,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  seemed  to  agree  most  perfectly.  They  thought  that  the 
Republican  victory  was  only  illusory — that  the  party  could  not 
survive  success — that,  after  four  years  of  power,  checked  and 
crossed  by  a  powerful  opposition,  a  great  and  universal  reaction, 
already  commenced,  would  complete  its  destruction  and  restore 
the  old  Democracy,  purified  and  strengthened,  to  its  ancient  rule. 
They  did  not  believe  that  the  South  was  in  earnest,  and  thought 
secession  only  probable  in  the  case  of  South  Carolina,  a  result 
which,  being  manageable,  might  after  all  have  a  very  wholesome 
effect. 

"  Mr.  Cobb,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  held  and  expressed 
but  one  opinion,  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  South,  in  defense 
both  of  honor  and  interest,  to  dissolve  the  Union.  He  thought 
that  every  State  should  secede  by  itself,  and  that  secession  should 
be  practically  accomplished  on  the  4th  of  March,  upon  the  close 
of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration.  This  he  thought  most  likely 
to  unite  the  South,  and  only  due  to  Mr.  Buchanan's  consistent 
support  of  Southern  rights.  Of  the  earnestness  of  these  opin- 
ions he  gave  convincing  proof  by  writing  to  his  friends  in  Georgia 
that,  if  upon  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  there  was  a  probability 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  CABINET-        2$ 

that  the  State  would  acquiesce,  he  wished  his  name  withdrawn 
as  a  candidate  for  the  United  States  Senate,  as,  with  his  views, 
he  could  no  longer  continue  in  public  life  with  hope  or  honor. 

"  Governor  Floyd,  Secretary  of  War,  thought  secession  unwise 
and  a  dissolution  of  the  Union  unnecessary.  Like  Mr.  Buchanan 
and  Mr.  Toucey,  he  believed  the  Black  Republican  triumph  only 
temporary,  and  that  its  success  would  be  its  destruction.  As  a 
matter  of  policy,  therefore,  he  wished  to  fight  in  the  Union,  but 
he  recognized  the  right  of  a  State  to  secede,  fully  sympathizing 
with  the  South  in  the  opinion  that,  as  far  as  the  North  was  con- 
cerned, enough  had  been  done  to  justify  any  action  the  South 
might  take,  and  was  resolute  that  no  force  should  be  employed 
by  the  Government  to  restrain  the  action  of  an  independent  State. 

"  Mr.  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  seemed  to  me,  while 
holding  the  general  opinions  entertained  by  Southern  men,  to  be 
governed  in  his  personal  conduct  by  a  strong  attachment  to  Mr. 
Buchanan,  an  unwillingness  to  believe  in  the  necessity  of  the 
extreme  measure  of  secession,  and  a  readiness  to  acquiesce  in 
any  course  which  his  State — Mississippi — should  adopt. 

"  General  Cass,  Secretary  of  State,  like  Mr.  Cobb,  held  clear 
and  well-defined  opinions.  From  the  beginning  he  believed  Lin- 
coln's election  certain,  and  the  dissolution  of  the  Union,  or  at 
least  the  secession  of  the  South,  inevitable.  Not  recognizing  any 
right  in  a  State  to  secede  except  as  a  revolutionary  measure,  he 
would  have  resisted  the  attempt  at  the  commencement,  and,  as 
the  sworn  officer  of  the  United  States,  he  would  have  done  his 
utmost  to  preserve  its  integrity.  'I  speak  to  Cobb,'  he  would 
say,  '  and  he  tells  me  he  is  a  Georgian;  to  Floyd,  and  he  tells  me 
he  is  a  Virginian;  to  you,  and  you  tell  me  you  are  a  Carolinian.  I 
am  not  a  Michigander;  I  am  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.  The 
laws  of  the  United  States  bind  you,  as  they  bind  me,  individually; 
if  you,  the  citizens  of  Georgia  or  Virginia  or  Carolina,  refuse 
obedience  to  them,  it  is  my  sworn  duty  to  enfore  them.'  That 
he  believed  to  be  his  duty,  and  he  would  have  done  it,  although 
he  believed  he  would  not  succeed  in  the  attempt,  for  he  also 
believed  that  great  wrong  and  injustice  had  been  done  the  South; 
that  the  Black  Republican  party  was  organized  for  its  destruction; 
and,  as  he  always  predicted,  that  a  long  and  bloody  civil  war  was 
the  sure  and  necessary  result  of  the  existing  condition  of  things. 
Judge  Black,  the  Attorney-General,  to  a  great  extent  agreed  with 


24  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

General  Cass,  but  he  treated  the  question  exclusively  as  one  of 
constitutional  law.  At  least,  it  always  seemed  to  me  that  he  was 
unwilling  to  look  at  the  political  consequences  of  secession,  and 
the  question  which  he  proposed  to  himself  for  solution  was, 
What  is  the  legal  wrong  involved  in  secession,  and  what  is  the 
legal  remedy  ?  a  question  to  be  solved  judicially,  not  politically. 
His  views  were  always  supposed  to  be  specially  enforced  in  the 
full  and  forcible  argument  afterwards  embodied  in  the  President's 
message. 

"  Of  the  opinions  and  feelings  of  Mr.  Holt,  the  Postmaster- 
General,  I  never  knew  more  than  was  to  be  inferred  from  his 
position  in  the  Cabinet  and  his  action  when  appointed  Secretary 
of  War." 

Of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  thus  enumerated,  those  who, 
in  view  of  the  threatening  aspect  of  affairs,  occupied  the  most 
prominent  positions,  were  the  Attorney-General,  Judge  Black,  and 
the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Floyd.  The  trained  and  vigorous 
mind  of  Judge  Black  did  not  long  hold  him  to  any  technical 
solution  of  the  difficulties,  and,  as  the  time  passed,  and  brought 
with  every  day  events  and  momentous  issues  that  pressed  upon 
the  country,  the  views  of  Judge  Black  expanded,  and  he  grew 
daily  in  appreciation  and  harmonious  sympathy  with  the  demands 
of  the  situation.  Stern  partisan  as  he  was,  he  yielded  to  the 
demands  of  the  country,  until  the  same  brain  that  created  and  the 
same  hand  that  penned  the  Attorney-General's  opinion  of  Novem- 
ber, 1860,  came  equally  to  trace  the  able  comments  of  the  states- 
man upon  the  President's  letter  to  the  South  Carolina  Com- 
missioners, as  well  as  the  utterances  of  the  patriot  in  the  letter  of 
January  17,  1861,  to  Lieutenant-General  Scott. 

His  prejudices  were  as  deep-seated  as  his  convictions  were 
strong,  and  when  he  took  occasion  to  express  his  opinions,  it  was 
often  done  with  little  reference  to  their  harmony  or  discord  with 
those  of  other  men.  Wholly  in  accord  with  his  party,  "  he  found 
himself  at  all  times  opposed  to  the  same  enemy,"  and  his  opinions 
were  often  formed  amid  the  "  stress  and  passion  of  action."  His 
relations  to  the  President  had  ever  been  close  through  a  long 
career.  He  was  his  counsellor,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  his  influence 
was  potential.  His  personal  attachment  was  deep  and  real,  and 
although  the  public  acts  of  the  President  were  often  the  subject 
of  close,  logical  criticism,  the  utterance  of  any  conclusion  of  con- 


SKETCH  OF  MR.  HOLT.  25 

demnation  was  ever  avoided,  while  his  respect  for  his  good  quali- 
ties never  failed  to  find  in  him  a  vigorous  expression  while  he 
lived.* 

Mr.  Holt,  the  Postmaster-General,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
His  State  was  divided  probably  more  than  any  other  upon  the 
questions  of  public  policy  now  agitating  the  country,  but  his 
own  views  were  well  known,  and  afterward  found  assertion  in  his 
able  speeches  to  his  people,  denouncing  the  proposed  neutrality 
of  the  State. 

A  distinguished  lawyer,  he  had  been  called  by  Mr.  Buchanan 
in  1857  to  his  first  public  office,  that  of  Commissioner  of  Patents. 
Subsequently,  upon  the  death  of  Aaron  V.  Brown,  the  position  of 
Postmaster-General  was  tendered  to  him  by  the  President,  which 
he  accepted.  Upon  the  retirement  of  Governor  Floyd  from  the 
Cabinet  he  became  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  through  the  trying 
scenes  at  the  close  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration,  to  the 
inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  and  beyond  it,  he  guided  the  affairs 
of  the  War  Department  with  patriotic  firmness  and  ability.  What 
in  the  exercise  of  his  office  he  was  called  upon  to  do  will  be  seen 
as  this  narrative  progresses  ;  but  it  may  not  now  be  amiss  if  the 
writer  recalls  with  gratitude  his  defense  of  Anderson  and  his 
command,  in  their  position  in  Charleston  harbor,  his  able  argu- 
ment in  defining  the  position  of  the  Government  in  its  course  as  to 
Sumter,  and  his  support  of  the  little  garrison,  as  his  words  came 
to  them  encouraging  them  in  their  duty. 

The  question  which  from  first  to  last  agitated  all  minds,  which, 
both  before  and  after  the  secession  of  the  State  loomed  up  as 
almost  the  only  subject  of  immediate  danger  to  the  success  of  the 
movements,  and  which  at  once  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Gov- 
ernment at  Washington,  of  the  authorities  of  the  State,  and  the 
Convention,  was  the  status  of  the  public  property  in  the  city  and 


*On  the  22d  of  March,  1882,  I  had  a  long  and  earnest  conversation  with 
Judge  Black  upon  the  subject  of  the  interview  between  the  President  and  the 
Congressional  delegation  of  South  Carolina,  as  to  the  understanding  or  arrange- 
ment agreed  upon  at  that  interview.  The  details  of  his  interview  with  the  Presi- 
dent, when  the  commissioners  of  South  Carolina  were  in  Washington,  were  stated, 
when  at  the  end  I  said,  "  Well,  then,  Judge  Black,  there  appears  to  be  but  one 
inference  to  be  drawn,  but  one  conclusion  to  be  reached;  the  President  did 
mnke  that  agreement."  The  Judge  rose,  and,  looking  steadily  at  me  for  a 
moment,  said,  "Remember,  that  is  your  conclusion." — [AUTHOR.] 


26  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR, 

harbor  of  Charleston.  The  necessity  and  the  policy  of  reinfor- 
cing the  forts  in  Charleston  harbor  in  advance  of  the  anticipated 
secession  of  the  State  were  subjects  of  constant  discussion  in  the 
Cabinet.  General  Cass,  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  Judge  Black, 
the  Attorney-General,  were  urgent  that  the  forts  in  the  South, 
and  especially  those  in  Charleston  harbor,  should  be  reinforced 
at  once. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Floyd,  remained  firm  in  his  deter- 
mination that  no  reinforcement  should  be  sent.  "  He  said,"  says 
the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  in  his  narrative,  "  that  with  his 
opinions  he  never  could  and  never  would  consent  to  the  coercion 
of  a  sovereign  State  ;  that  while  he  did  not  think  the  anticipated 
action  of  South  Carolina  wise,  he  sympathized  deeply  with  her 
spirit ;  that,  considering  the  reinforcement  of  the  garrisons  in 
Charleston  harbor  as  looking  very  like  coercion,  and  at  any  rate 
only  calculated  to  excite  and  irritate  the  popular  feeling,  he  would 
not  consent  to  it.  But  that,  on  the  other  hand,  he  would  not  sub- 
mit to  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  people  to  take  the  forts; 
that  he  was  bound  to  resist,  and  would  resist.  What  would  be 
the  consequence  of  the  secession  of  the  State  was  a  grave  question, 
but  one  which  had  not  yet  arisen.  That  at  present  he  was  only 
resolved  upon  two  things:  not  to  reinforce  the  forts,  and  not  to 
allow  them  to  be  taken  by  an  unlawful  force.  In  these  positions 
I  agreed  with  him  ;  and  we  agreed  further  in  believing  that  there 
was  no  danger  of  an  attack  on  the  forts  by  an  unlawful  mob,  and 
that  the  State  would  take  the  action  she  might  deem  necessary, 
regularly,  and  with  due  notice  to  the  Government  at  Washington. 
The  position  of  Governor  Floyd  I  explained  fully,  and  at  his  own 
request,  by  letters  to  those  at  home  who  could,  in  my  opinion, 
best  use  the  knowledge  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the  alarm  and 
apprehensions  of  the  citizens  of  Charleston.  The  apprehensions 
of  the  people  of  Charleston,  however,  were  not  easily  quieted,  and 
General  Cass  and  Judge  Black  were  urgent  that  the  forts  should 
be  reinforced.  The  subject  was  one  of  constant  discussion. 
Governor  Floyd  was  earnest  in  his  determination  and  resolved 
not  to  reinforce,  but  he  thought  that  if  such  were  his  opinions, 
he  ought  to  be  trusted  by  the  State;  that  if  in  the  ordinary  routine 
of  the  business  of  the  War  Department  he  sent  a  few  men  to 
Fort  Sumter,  or  a  few  boxes  of  ammunition  to  Fort  Moultrie,  to 
supply  the  vacancies  caused  by  death  or  desertion  and  to  furnish 


POSITION  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR.  27 

the  usual  amount  of  powder  kept  in  the  garrison,  these  acts 
ought  not  to  be  objects  of  suspicion;  that  in  fact  this  jealousy  and 
clamor  against  his  ordinary  action  was  weakening  his  power  to 
act  when  an  extraordinary  emergency  did  arise.  Besides,  as  he 
argued  on  one  occasion  with  great  force,  'You  tell  me  that  if 
any  attempt  is  made  to  do  what  under  ordinary  circumstances  is 
done  every  day,  you  will  be  unable  to  restrain  your  people. 
Suppose  you  are  not  able  to  restrain  them  now,  am  /bound  to 
leave  these  garrisons  unprotected,  to  the  mercy  of  a  mob  ;  am  / 
not  bound  to  enable  them  to  resist  an  unlawful  violation  which 
you  cannot  control  ? '  While  I  felt  the  strength  of  this  reasoning, 
I  knew  also  that  in  the  then  condition  of  feeling  in  Charleston 
anything  that  could  be  even  misunderstood  or  misrepresented  as 
reinforcement  would  lead  to  an  explosion  that  would  injure  the 
whole  Southern  cause.  I  therefore  saw  Mr.  Cobb  and  explained 
to  him  what  I  understood  to  be  Governor  Floyd's  position.  I  told 
him  that  while  I  admitted  its  strength,  things  were  in  that  condi- 
tion that  he  could  not  act  from  it;  that  I  had  the  most  perfect 
confidence  in  him,  and  had  pledged  myself  at  home  that  our 
people  could  trust  him  implicitly,  but  that  any  nice  difference 
between  what  was  reinforcement  for  the  purpose  of  reinforcement, 
and  what  was  ordinary  routine  business,  would  not  be  understood 
at  such  a  time ;  and  that  unless  the  Secretary  of  War  could 
make  up  his  mind  to  allow  no  change  in  the  forts,  important  or 
not,  I  could  not  answer  for  the  consequences,  and,  after  what  I 
had  written  home,  would  feel  bound  to  resign  and  tell  the  author- 
ities there  to  judge  for  themselves.  I  believed  that  such  a  step 
would  lead  to  the  occupation  of  Fort  Sumter  in  forty-eight  hours, 
and  I  told  him  that  I  was  on  my  way  to  Governor  Floyd  to  an- 
nounce to  him  my  conclusion.  He  proposed  that  I  should  post- 
pone my  visit  until  after  a  conference  that  he  was  to  have  that 
morning  with  the  Governor  and  Mr.  Thompson.  I  did  so.  That 
night  Governor  Floyd  called  at  my  house,  and  in  a  long  and  very 
free  conversation  expressed  his  former  convictions,  his  feeling 
that  the  State  ought  to  accept  his  action  without  suspicion,  as  his 
opinions  were  well  known,  fixed,  and  had  been  acted  on  constantly 
long  before  this  crisis  had  come.  But  that  if  I  thought  col- 
lision between  the  people  of  the  State  and  the  Government  forces 
would  be  precipitated,  he  would  not  consent  that  a  man  or  a  gun 
should  be  sent  to  any  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston;  and 


28  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

if  his  sense  of  duty  induced  any  change  in  his  determination,  I 
should  be  informed  by  him  in  advance  of  any  action  and  in  ample 
time  to  pursue  such  a  course  as  I  deemed  proper.  Things  con- 
tinued upon  this  footing  during  the  preparation  of  the  President's 
annual  message,  the  contemplation  of  which  it  seemed  certain 
must  produce  a  dissolution  of  the  Cabinet,  for  the  nearei  the 
time  came  for  opinion  to  take  the  form  of  action,  the  more  utterly 
impossible  was  it  to  reconcile  the  differences.  Those  members 
of  the  Cabinet  who  desired  that  reinforcements  should  be  sent  to 
Charleston  pressed  their  policy,  and  a  few  evenings  after  the 
conversation  with  Governor  Floyd,  just  related,  he  called  upon  me 
evidently  much  excited.  He  said  that  just  after  dinner  the 
President  had  sent  for  him  (at  the  room  in  the  State  Department, 
which  he  occupied  while  preparing  his  message);  that  when  he 
reached  him  he  found  General  Cass  and  Judge  Black,  who  retired 
immediately  upon  his  entrance.  The  President  then  informed 
him  that  he  had  determined  to  reinforce  the  garrisons  in  Charles- 
ton harbor,  upon  which  a  very  animated  discussion  arose.  The 
President  finally  consented  to  suspend  his  decision  until  General 
Scott  could  reach  Washington,  and  he  had  been  telegraphed  to 
come  on  immediately.  Governor  Floyd  felt  confident  that  he 
could  satisfy  General  Scott  of  the  impolicy  of  such  a  step,  that  it 
could  not  be  supported,  and  that  the  distribution  of  United  States 
troops  was  such  as  to  render  anything  looking  like  the  use  of  force 
not  only  idle  but  disastrous,  as  it  must  provoke  attack,  which  the 
Government  was  in  no  condition  to  resist  successfully."  When, 
therefore  the  pressure  of  General  Cass  and  Judge  Black  upon  the 
President  for  the  immediate  reinforcement  of  the  forts  became 
urgent,  it  seemed  to  the  Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet  to  be 
important  to  devise  some  means  by  which  such  a  necessity  should  be 
obviated.  The  practical  question  that  presented  itself  was,  by  what 
means  the  President  could  be  induced  to  change  his  purpose;  they 
were  anxious  both  that  any  action  taken  by  the  Southern  States 
be  regularly  made — in  their  opinion,  constitutionally  made — and 
that  Mr.  Buchanan  should  be  spared  the  embarrassment  and 
difficulty  which  would  result  from  any  premature  and  violent 
demonstration  in  them.  They  desired  that  time  should  be 
allowed  for  the  development  of  a  complete  unity  of  purpose  in  all 
the  Southern  States,  and  that  the  issue  which  now  seemed  inevi- 
table should  be  met  by  the  new  Administration,  whose  advent  to 
power  was  considered  by  them  the  provocation. 


PROPOSITION  OF  THE  ASS' T  SEC.  OF  STATE. 


29 


"  Governor  Floyd  declared,"  says  the  Assistant  Secretary  in 
his  narrative,  "  that  his  mind  was  made  up,  that  he  would  cut  off 
his  right  hand  before  he  would  sign  an  order  to  send  reinforce- 
ments to  the  Carolina  forts,  and  that  if  the  President  insisted,  he 
would  resign.  Mr.  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  agreed 
with  him  perfectly,  and  said  he  would  sustain  his  course  and  fol- 
low him." 

After  considerable  discussion,  various  propositions  were  sug- 
gested, among  them  one  from  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State, 
who  proposed  that  he  should  go  to  the  President,  "  state  to  him 
that  the  Secretary  of  War  had  communicated  to  me  his  intention, 
and  then  endeavor  to  disabuse  his  mind  of  any  unfounded  appre- 
hensions as  to  the  action  of  the  State,  and  submit  to  him  the  rea- 
sons, based  upon  information  in  my  possession,  against  such  a 
policy  as  he  thought  of  adopting,  should  I  make  no  impression. 
I  would  then  say  that  under  the  circumstances  it  was  my  duty, 
however  painful,  to  submit  my  resignation  then  and  there,  and 
leave  for  Columbia  the  next  morning,  to  lay  the  facts  before  the 
executive  of  South  Carolina.  I  would  be  in  Columbia  in  thirty-six 
hours,  and  upon  such  information  there  could  be  no  earthly  doubt 
that  the  forts  would  be  occupied  in  the  following  twenty-four. 
Such  a  resolution,  respectfully  but  firmly  stated,  would  I  thought 
make  the  President  hesitate.  Indeed,  he  could  not  have  acted, 
for  he  would  have  been  forced  to  remove  Governor  Floyd,  and 
the  time  occupied  in  the  changes  and  the  execution  of  the  orders 
would  have  been  more  than  enough  to  give  the  State  the  necessary 
opportunity.  Such  a  proceeding  was  of  course  only  to  be  adopted 
as  a  last  resort,  because  it  involved  necessarily  such  a  breach  be- 
tween the  President  and  Governor  Floyd  as  would  compel  his  resig- 
nation, if  not  anticipated  by  his  dismissal,  and  because  while  it 
gave  the  State  warning  it  only  precipitated  the  issue.  For,  once 
taken,  the  die  was  cast,  the  forts  would  be  seized,  and  the  Gov- 
ernment could  not  have  submitted  either  to  its  defeat  or  to  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  effected." 

Another  proposition  was  one  to  the  effect  that  the  Member  of 
Congress  from  Charleston  should  be  at  once  summoned  to  Wash- 
ington, in  the  hope  that  his  representation  of  the  public  feeling, 
which  had  been  possibly  exaggerated,  would  relieve  the  Presi- 
dent's mind  of  any  fear  of  an  outbreak.  The  proposition  which 
was  finally  adopted,  says  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  was  that 


3O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  I  should  write  to  the  Governor  of  the  State — Governor  Gist — tell 
him  that  the  President  was  under  very  strong  apprehensions  that 
the  people  of  Charleston  would  seize  the  forts;  that  in  conse- 
quence he  felt  bound  to  send  reinforcements.  That  the  South- 
ern members  of  the  Cabinet  would  resist  this  policy,  to  resig- 
nation, but  that  they  thought  that  if  he  felt  authorized  to  write 
a  letter  assuring  the  President  that  if  no  reinforcements  were 
sent,  there  would  be  no  attempt  upon  the  forts  before  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Convention,  and  that  then  commissioners  would  be  sent 
to  negotiate  all  the  points  of  difference  ;  that  their  hands  would 
be  strengthened,  the  responsibility  of  provoking  collision  would 
be  taken  from  the  State,  and  the  President  would  probably  be 
relieved  from  the  necessity  of  pursuing  this  policy."  They  added : 
"  If  such  a  letter  was  written,  and  failed,  he  should  have  infor- 
mation in  ample  time  to  take  such  steps  as  the  interest  of  the 
State  required." 

"  I  therefore  addressed  Governor  Gist  the  following  letter: 

"  [STRICTLY  CONFIDENTIAL.] 

"WASHINGTON,  November  26,  1860. 

"  Dear  Sir:  I  am  aware  (and  I  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to 
specify  my  source  of  information)  that  apprehensions  exist  in 
the  mind  of  the  President  that  before  the  State  acts  in  conven- 
tion some  attempt  will  be  made  to  take  the  forts  in  Charleston 
harbor.  Feeling  that  his  personal  honor  would  be  involved  in 
such  an  attempt,  he  may  make  his  apprehensions  the  pretext  or 
ground  on  which  to  order  an  increased  force  to  those  posts.  This 
order  will  be  resisted  to  the  very  last,  and  at  any  cost,  by  the 
Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet,  but  they  would  be  incalculably 
strengthened  in  their  position  if  you  were  at  liberty  to  say  directly 
to  the  President  that  you  could  answer,  on  your  responsibility, 
that  so  long  as  no  change  was  made  in  these  garrisons,  so  long 
as  no  additional  force  was  sent  there  and  the  State  remained  in 
the  Union,  no  such  attempt  would  be  made,  and  that  any  in- 
crease of  force  made  in  the  face  of  this  notice  would  lead  to 
instant  collision,  and  that  for  every  drop  of  blood  shed  under 
such  circumstances  he,  and  he  alone,  would  be  responsible. 

"  I  wish  you  distinctly  to  understand  that  there  is  no  possi- 
bility of  such  an  order  being  issued  without  the  dissolution  of 
the  Cabinet  and  your  receiving  ample  notice.  While  I  answer  for 
this,  I  write  with  the  confidence  that  such  an  assurance  will  pre- 
vent any  hasty  and  indiscreet  movement  on  the  part  of  the  State. 
Believing  that  you  agree  fully  with  me  that,  for  the  sake  of  the 
State  and  of  the  South,  our  move  toward  secession  ought  to  be 
regular  and  orderly,  and  that  all  collision  should  be  avoided, 


LETTER  FROM  GOVERNOR  GIST.  31 

and  feeling  that  the  Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet  are  entitled 
to  the  support  of  the  State,  I  write  to  you  to  indicate  how  you 
can  support  them.  To  that  point  alone,  this  letter  is  addressed. 
If  it  becomes  necessary  for  the  State  to  look  to  itself,  you  shall 
know  promptly  and  certainly. 

"  If,  therefore,  you  can  write  such  a  letter  as  I  indicate,  the 
Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet  can  rest  upon  it  triumphantly 
no  such  order  will  be  issued  in  the  face  of  it,  and  if  it  is,  you 
will  be  free  to  act,  will  have  ample  information  as  to  the  neces- 
sity of  action,  and  the  whole  responsibility  of  what  comes  will 
be,  not  on  the  head  of  South  Carolina,  but  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States. 

"  If  so,  your  letter  must  be  here  by  return  mail,  directed  under 
cover  to  me.  Telegraph  me  also  when  this  is  received,  and  if 
you  intend  to  answer  yes  or  no  to  my  proposition.  Details  I 
cannot  give  you,  but  trust  that  my  signature  will  command  your 
confidence.  I  am,  yours  respectfully, 

«WM.  HENRY  TRESCOT." 

"To  GOVERNOR  GIST." 

To  this  letter  I  received  the  following  answer: 

"EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
"COLUMBIA,  S.  C.,  November  29,  1860. 
"  MR.  WM.  HENRY  TRESCOT. 

"Dear  Sir:  Although  South  Carolina  is  determined  to  secede 
from  the  Federal  Union  very  soon  after  her  Convention  meets, 
yet  the  desire  of  her  constituted  authorities  is,  not  to  do  anything 
that  will  bring  on  a  collision  before  the  ordinance  of  secession 
has  been  passed  and  notice  has  been  given  to  the  President  of 
the  fact;  and  not  then,  unless  compelled  to  do  so  by  the  refusal 
of  the  President  to  recognize  our  right  to  secede,  by  attempting 
to  interfere  with  our  exports  or  imports,  or  by  refusal  to  surren- 
der the  forts  and  arsenals  in  our  limits.  I  have  found  great  dif- 
ficulty in  restraining  the  people  of  Charleston  from  seizing  the 
forts,  and  have  only  been  able  to  restrain  them  by  the  assurance 
that  no  additional  troops  would  be  sent  to  the  forts,  or  any  muni- 
tions of  war.  Everything  is  now  q*uiet,  and  will  remain  so  until 
the  ordinance  is  passed,  if  no  more  soldiers  or  munitions  of  war 
are  sent  on.  That  is  to  say,  I  will  use  my  utmost  efforts  to  effect 
that  object,  and  believe  I  will  succeed;  but  the  Legislature  and 
myself  would  be  powerless  to  prevent  a  collision  if  a  single  soldier 
or  another  gun  or  ammunition  is  sent  on  to  be  placed  in  the  forts. 
If  President  Buchanan  takes  a  course  different  from  the  one  indi- 
cated and  sends  on  a  reinforcement,  the  responsibility  will  rest 
on  him  of  lighting  the  torch  of  discord,  which  will  only  be 
quenched  in  blood.  I  am  under  a  pledge  to  sanction  resistance, 
and  to  use  all  the  military  power  of  the  State  to  prevent  any 
increase  of  troops  in  these  garrisons,  and  had  to  make  the  pledge 


32  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  restrain  the  people,  who  are  restive,  and  hope  no  necessity  will 
arise  to  compel  me  to  redeem  the  pledge.'  I  write  to  you  know- 
ing that,  while  you  will  be  faithful  to  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  as  long  as  you  hold  office  under  it,  yet  you  are 
also  a  South  Carolinian,  and  would  desire,  by  all  means,  to  avoid 
the  needless  shedding  of  blood.  If  you  think  there  is  no  impro- 
priety in  showing  this  letter  to  the  President  you  are  at  liberty 
to  do  so,  for  I  do  not  wish  him  to  be  mistaken  and  act  in  such  a 
way  as  to  bring  upon  the  country  a  bloody  war,  without  the  most 
imperious  necessity.  Very  truly  yours, 

"WM.  H.  GIST." 

At  the  same  time  I  received  the  following  letter  from  Gov- 
ernor Gist,  which  had  crossed  mine  to  him  on  the  road: 

"  [CONFIDENTIAL.] 

"  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 

"  COLUMBIA,  S.  C,  November  29,  1860. 
"  MR.  W.  H.  TRESCOT. 

"  Deat  Sir:  I  take  the  liberty,  from  your  general  character 
and  without  the  pleasure  of  a  personal  acquaintance,  to  ask  if  you 
have  any  objections,  in  the  event  of  your  connection  with  the 
Federal  Government  ceasing,  to  remain  in  Washington  and  act  as 
confidential  agent  for  this  Department.  It  is  important  to  have 
some  one  at  Washington  to  give  me  the  earliest  information  of 
what  transpires  affecting  the  interest  of  this  State,  and  I  know  no 
one  so  acceptable  as  yourself.  It  is  probable  that  the  Convention 
will  want  some  one  on  the  spot  through  whom  the  information  of 
its  final  action  can  be  authoritatively  communicated  to  the  Presi- 
dent at  the  earliest  moment  and  an  answer  received.  If  you 
remain  I  will  inform  the  Convention  that  you  are  in  Washington, 
and  suggest  that  you  be  selected  to  perform  this  delicate  and 
important  duty.  If  there  is  any  inquiry  as  to  the  course  South 
Carolina  will  pursue,  you  may  safely  say  that  she  will  not  permit 
any  increase  of  troops  or  munitions  of  war  in  the  forts  or  arsenal, 
and,  considering  it  an  evidence  of  intention  to  coerce  and  an  act 
of  war,  she  will  use  force  to  prevent  it,  and  a  collision  must 
inevitably  ensue.  I  have  had  great  trouble,  as  it  is,  to  prevent  an 
attack  upon  the  forts,  and  will  not  be  able  (if  willing)  to  prevent 
an  attack  upon  them  if  another  soldier  is  sent  there.  Of  course, 
I  do  not  expect  you  to  act  in  the  premises  until  your  duty  to  the 
Federal  Government  ceases,  but  I  cannot  but  anticipate  such  a 
result  soon.  An  early  answer  is  requested. 

"  Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

"WM.  H.  GIST." 

In  view  of  this  letter,  and  from  the  fact  that  the  action  of  the 
State  was  now  considered  certain,  the  Assistant  Secretary  deter- 
mined to  offer  his  resignation  to  the  President,  remaining,  how- 


RESIGNA  TION  OP  ASSISTANT  SECRETAR  Y  OF  STA  TE.    33 

ever,  for  a  few  days  in  office,  in  order  that  the  President  might 
have  an  opportunity  to  select  his  successor.  The  President 
replied  to  him  that  "  however  much  he  regretted  the  necessity,  he 
had  anticipated  it  for  some  time,"  and  then,  in  language  which  it 
is  unnecessary  to  repeat,  expressed  his  pleasure  at  the  relations 
which  had  always  existed  between  them.  He  said  that  it  was  due 
to  him  to  make  his  appointment  of  a  successor  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  that  it  certainly  should  be  done  before  the  Convention-  of 
South  Carolina  had  taken  any  action:*  "  I  cannot  but  express 
my  grateful  recollection  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  uniform  kindness  and 
confidence  in  his  conduct  to  me.  The  absence  of  General  Cass 
for  the  summer,  and  his  health  when  in  Washington,  brought  me 
into  very  constant  personal  association  with  the  President.  Having 
been  Minister  both  to  Russia  and  England,  and  also  Secretary  of 
State,  he  took  special  interest  in  that  department,  and  watched 
its  proceedings  with  minute  and  well-informed  interest.  His 
diplomatic  experience  was  large,  and  his  general  views  very 
cautious  and  very  clear,  and  his  knowledge  always  accurate.  My 
official  intercourse  with  him  was  invariably  pleasant.  With  the 
ordinary  mass  of  the  business  of  the  Department  he  never  inter- 
fered, and,  on  all  matters  large  and  important  enough  for  his 
decision,  gave  careful  and  most  considerate  attention  to  views 
and  opinions  with  which  he  did  not  agree;  while  he  never  failed  to 
manifest,  when  he  felt  it,  his  cordial  approval  of  the  manner  in 
which  his  own  instructions  were  carried  out." 

The  President  had  now  concluded  his  annual  message,  and,  in 
view  of  the  sentiments  expressed  by  the  Governor  of  South  Caro- 
lina, he  determined  to  send  to  him  a  copy,  in  advance  of  its 
publication,  by  the  hands  of  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  who, 
in  view  of  the  confidential  relations  he  had  held  with  the  Presi- 
dent, was  thoroughly  informed  upon  the  subject  of  the  President's 
views.  He  could  explain  in  Columbia  what  might  be  misunder- 
stood there,  and,  from  the  relations  he  held  with  the  authorities 
in  South  Carolina,  could  bring  back  to  the  President  a  clear  and 
reliable  account  of  the  state  of  feeling  and  opinions  in  the  State, 
and  thus  prepare  the  way,  if  possible,  to  a  peaceful  solution  of 
the  difficulties. 

That  the  State  would  pass  the  ordinance  of  secession  he  was 
now  convinced,  and,  in  the  uncertainty  of  the  result  of  any  issue 
made  with  the  General  Government,  his  chief  anxiety  was  in  ref- 
erence to  the  collection  of  the  revenue  and  the  safety  of  the  forts. 

*  Trescot's  Narrative. 


34  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  ClP'IL  WAR. 

He  was  assured  "  that  the  people  of  South  Carolina  not  only 
held  the  right  of  secession,  but  that  they  would  take  special  pride 
in  carrying  out  that  right,  regularly,  peaceably,  as  a  rig/if,  not  as 
a  revolutionary  measure  ;  that  I  really  believed  it  would  mortify 
them  to  be  compelled  to  resort  to  force  ;  that  they  would  pass  the 
ordinance  of  secession,  and  then  send  regularly  accredited  agents 
to  negotiate  with  the  Government."  '  But,'  said  he,  'you  know  I 
cannot  recognize  them.  All  I  can  do  is  to  refer  them  to  Con- 
gress.' I  told  him  that  I  believed  such  a  reference,  courte- 
ously made  and  in  good  faith,  would  be  accepted,  and  that  the 
State  would  wait  a  reasonable  time  for  the  decision  of  Congress. 
This  he  seemed  to  think  would  be  sufficient,  if  the  secession  was 
inevitable;  but  still  he  was  very  cautious,  and  his  great  hope 
seemed  to  be,  by  temporizing,  to  avoid  an  issue  before  the  4th 
of  March. 

"On  Sunday  night,  when  I  saw  him,  he  went  over  the  old 
ground;  said  that  he  thought  his  message  ought  to  be  acceptable 
to  the  South;  that  he  had  spoken  the  truth,  boldly  and  clearly; 
and  that  all  he  had  declared  was  that,  with  regard  to  the  laws  and 
property  of  the  United  States,  he  would  discharge  the  obligations 
of  his  official  oath,  as  far  as  his  constitutional  powers  enabled  him. 

"I  told  him  that  I  would  take  the  message  with  pleasure, 
because  it  was  a  courtesy  to  the  Executive  of  the  State,  and 
because  I  thought  that,  waiving  the  opinions  expressed  as  to  the 
right  of  secession,  it  was  as  conciliatory  as  it  was  possible  for  him 
to  make  it  from  his  position;  and,  indeed,  more  so  than  I  had 
expected.  But  that  I  must  say,  in  candor,  that  it  would  have  no 
effect  upon  the  action  of  the  Convention;  that  my  recent  letters  sat- 
isfied me  that  the  State  would  not  only  secede,  but  that  it  would 
secede  immediately;  that  delay  until  the  4th  of  March  was  impos- 
sible; but  that,  having  said  that  much,  I  was  perfectly  willing  to 
take  the  message  as  he  desired,  and  I  felt  confident  that  he  might 
rely  upon  my  assurances  that  there  would  be  no  violence  used 
towards  the  forts  by  any  unlawful  assemblage  or  mob;  that  I  had 
with  me  a  letter  from  the  Governor  of  the  State,  which  I  would 
read  to  him  if  he  desired,  and  the  tenor  of  which  I  then  commu- 
nicated to  him.  He  then  asked  me  if  I  had  seen  General  Cass. 
I  said  not  that  day;  but  that  I  had  talked  over  the  whole  subject 
with  him  again  and  again,  and  we  always  ended  where  we  began. 
He  said,  however  that  I  must  see  him  when  I  left  the  White 


TRESCOT  TAKES  MESSAGE  TO  GOVERNOR  GIST, 


35 


House — he  wished  it,  particularly — and  repeat  our  conversation. 
I  saw  the  General,  of  course,  but  our  conversation  was  very  brief. 
He  said  he  was  very  sorry;  he  saw  what  was  coming,  but  that 
nothing  could  prevent  it.  I  left  for  Columbia  on  Monday  morn- 
ing, where  I  arrived  early  on  Wednesday." 

Governor  Gist  received  the  message  of  the  President  kindly, 
recognizing  the  courtesy  of  the  communication,  but  at  once 
declared  that  "  the  State  was  determined  upon  immediate  seces- 
sion; that  no  scheme  of  policy,  however  plausible,  could  induce 
delay  until  the  4th  of  March,  either  in  deference  to  Mr.  Buchanan's 
position  or  with  a  view  to  the  co-operation  of  other  States,"  and 
the  opinion  of  the  South  Carolina  Legislature,  then  in  session,  was 
strong  in  support  of  this  declaration.  It  was  at  the  same  time 
evident  that  an  issue  of  force  was  not  desired  by  the  leaders  in 
South  Carolina,  that  the  State  would  go  on  resolutely  to  the  attain- 
ment of  its  end,  and  that,  to  avoid  such  an  issue  of  force,  it  was 
believed  in  South  Carolina  that  the  Federal  Government,  how- 
ever it  temporized,  would  have  to  concede  the  principle  upon 
which  the  State  stood.  Satisfying  himself  that  there  was  a  strong 
feeling  against  any  popular  demonstration  of  force,  either  in  vio- 
lation of  the  law  or  in  the  seizure  of  the  public  property,  the 
Assistant  Secretary  returned  to  Washington  and  communicated  at 
once  to  the  President,  in  person,  the  result  of  his  mission.  During 
his  absence  the  representatives  of  South  Carolina  had  reached 
Washington,  to  take  their  seats  in  Congress. 

They  were  apprised  of  the  precise  condition  of  things,  and  of 
the  views  of  the  President,  and  upon  the  day  after  the  return  of 
the  Assistant  Secretary  from  South  Carolina,  he  found  them  in 
the  act  of  having  their  important  interview.  The  Assistant  Sec- 
retary had  no  authority  to  make  any  proposition  or  suggestion  on 
behalf  of  the  President  to  the  Governor  of  the  State.  He  was 
simply  to  deliver  a  copy  of  the  message.  He  found,  upon  his 
arrival  in  Charleston,  that  he  had  been  anticipated.  He  had  hardly 
left  Washington  before  M.  L.  Bonham,  then  a  Member  of  Congress 
from  South  Carolina,  and  afterwards  its  Governor,  telegraphed 
from  Washington  to  Columbia  of  the  mission  of  the  Assistant 
Secretary.  At  the  same  time  a  letter  from  the  same  source  was 
sent  to  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  announcing  the  purpose 
and  object  of  the  visit  of  Mr.  Trescot,  who,  upon  his  arrival,  was 
at  once  made  aware  that  no  postponement  of  the  call  for  a  Con- 
vention to  the  4th  of  March  was  now  possible. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

President  recognizes  condition  of  things — His  message  of  3d  December,  1860 — 
Its  reception  by  his  Cabinet — Resignation  of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
Mr.  Cobb,  who  is  succeeded  by  Mr.  Thomas,  of  Maryland — Effort  to  pre- 
serve the  military  status  in  Charleston  Harbor — South  Carolina  delegation 
wait  upon  the  President— Their  interview —Written  statement  left  with  the 
President — Understanding  of  the  delegation,  of  what  was  accomplished — 
Their  impression — Explanation  of  Messrs.  Miles  and  Keitt  to  the  South 
Carolina  Convention,  of  the  understanding  after  Anderson's  movement  to 
Fort  Sumter — Governor  of  South  Carolina  claims  that  the  Government  at 
Washington  was  pledged — Major  Anderson  not  informed  of  it — Re- 
turn of  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  from  Charleston— His  interview  with 
the  President — General  Cass,  Secretary  of  State,  urges  reinforcement  of 
the  forts— President  declines — Resignation  of  the  Secretary,  who  seeks  to 
withdraw  it — Declined  by  the  President,  who  tenders  to  Judge  Black,  the 
Attorney-General,  the  position  of  Secretary  of  State. 

THE  President  had  now  definitely  determined  upon  a  policy, 
which  he  maintained  until  the  last.  He  knew  that  the  country 
was  waiting  anxiously  upon  the  words  of  his  coming  message. 
He  had  finally  recognized  the  actual  condition  of  things  around 
him,  but  he  equally  felt  that  whatever  view  he  might  take,  or 
whatever  measure  he  might  recommend  to  Congress,  the  State  of 
South  Carolina  would  in  a  few  days,  by  a  convention  of  her  people, 
pass  an  ordinance  of  secession  from  the  Federal  Union.  It  was 
the  last  opportunity  he  could  hope  for,  as  the  President,  to  use 
the  power  and  prestige  of  his  high  office,  and  to  exert  any  influence 
of  a  personal  character  that  might  remain  to  reconcile  interests 
daily  becoming  more  and  more  threatening  to  the  existence  of 
the  Union.  But  while  he  believed  that  the  cotton  States  would 
probably  sever  their  connection  with  the  Union,  he  thought  that 
the  border  States  might  be  secured. 

It  was  thus,  aiter  much  "serious  reflection,"  that  he  arrived 
at  his  conclusions,  which  he  announced  in  his  message  to  Con- 
gress of  the  3d  of  December,  1860. 

In  submitting  this  message  to  his  Cabinet,  it  had  met  the 
warm  approval  of  every  member,  except  that  part  of  it  that  denied 


SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY  RESIGNS.  37 

the  right  of  secession  and  claimed  it  to  be  a  national  duty  to 
defend  the  public  property  and  to  collect  the  revenue. 

It  was  this  announcement  that  hastened  the  resignation  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Mr.  Cobb,  who  had,  however,  pre- 
viously intimated  his  intention.  He  stated  that,  with  his  well- 
known  views,  the  message  of  the  President  gave  the  opportunity 
for  his  resignation  without  harshness,  and  that  he  could  be  more 
useful  at  home,  notwithstanding  that  he  owed  his  position  in  Mr. 
Buchanan's  Cabinet  to  the  fact  that  during  his  canvass  for  the 
Governorship  of  Georgia  he  had  made  a  powerful  argument 
against  the  right  and  doctrine  of  secession. 

In  his  letter  to  the  President  resigning  his  position,  he  said, 
"  A  sense  of  duty  to  the  State  of  Georgia  requires  me  to  take  a 
step  which  makes  it  proper  that  I  should  no  longer  continue  to 
be  a  member  of  your  Cabinet."  His  remaining  in  the  Cabinet 
would  expose  him  to  unjust  suspicions  and  put  Mr.  Buchanan  in 
a  false  position.  His  association  with  the  President  had  been 
pleasant.  "The  evil  has  now  passed,"  he  said,  "beyond  control, 
and  must  be  met  by  each  and  all  of  us,  under  our  responsibility 
to  God  and  our  country;"  and  he  believed  that  history  would  have 
to  record  the  administration  of  Mr.  Buchanan  as  the  last  one  of 
our  present  Union,  and  would  place  it  "  side  by  side  with  the 
purest  and  ablest  of  those  that  preceded  it." 

The  place  of  Mr.  Cobb  was  filled  by  Mr.  Philip  F.  Thomas, 
of  Maryland,  who  had  formerly  been  its  Governor.  He  differed, 
however,  so  widely  from  the  President  upon  the  questions  imme- 
diately involved,  that  he  remained  in  office  but  one  month,  giving 
way  to  the  appointment  to  the  Treasury  Department  of  General 
John  A.  Dix,  of  New  York. 

While  positive  action  seemed  to  be  suspended,  both  upon  the 
part  of  the  General  Government  and  that  of  the  State,  a  convic- 
tion had  grown  up  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  South  Carolina 
that  the  public  property  in  their  midst  would  certainly  be  theirs, 
either  by  negotiation  or  force,  when  the  State  should  have  formally 
passed  the  ordinance  of  secession  from  the  Federal  Union.  That 
the  State  would  pass  such  an  ordinance,  was  generally  believed, 
and,  in  the  uncertainty  of  the  result  of  any  issue  made  with  the 
General  Government,  it  was  deemed  wise,  if  not  essential,  that 
until  the  Convention  should  meet  and  act,  the  "  military  status  " 
that  then  existed  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston  should  remain 


38  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

unchanged,  and  that  some  positive  understanding  or  agreement 
should  be  had  with  the  General  Government,  that  would  maintain 
the  relative  condition  of  things  precisely  as  they  were.  To  this 
end,  on  the  8th  of  December,  the  majority  of  the  South  Carolina 
delegation  in  Washington,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Ashmore, 
waited  upon  the  President,  who  left  a  Cabinet  meeting  to  confer 
with  them.  Rumors  were  rife  that  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of 
Charleston  were  to  be  supplied  and  garrisoned,  and  it  was  known 
that  the  subject  had  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Cabinet,  and  that 
some  of  the  members  were  urgent  that  action  should  be  taken. 
It  was  believed,  too,  by  many,  that  the  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie, 
on  Sullivan's  Island,  was  threatened  by  a  mob  and  its  safety 
imperilled,  and  the  President  himself  was  not  without  anxiety  in 
regard  to  that  command,  as  he  stated  to  the  delegation.  He 
seemed  much  disturbed,  and  expressed  a  sense  of  the  deep  respon- 
sibility resting  upon  him  to  protect  the  lives  of  Major  Anderson 
and  his  command.  The  delegation  replied  to  him  that  the 
news  that  reinforcements  were  on  their  way  to  Charleston  would 
be  the  surest  way  to  provoke  what  he  seemed  so  anxious  to 
avoid;  that  the  general  sentiment  of  the  State  was  against 
any  such  proceeding,  and  that  they  felt  satisfied  that  there  would 
be  no  attempt  to  molest  the  forts  in  any  way  prior  to  the  action 
of  the  Convention,  then  shortly  to  meet;  that  while  they  could  not 
undertake  to  say  what  that  body  would  see  fit  to  do,  they  "  hoped 
and  believed  "  that  nothing  would  be  done  until  Commissioners 
should  negotiate  for  the  delivery  to  the  State  of  the  public  property; 
and  they  stated  that  it  was  their  "  solemn  belief  "  that  any  change 
in  the  existing  status  would  in  the  excited  state  of  feeling  precipi- 
tate a  collision.  The  President  asked  that  a  written  memorandum 
of  what  was  said  should  be  given  to  him,  and  the  following  paper 
was  handed  to  him  on  the  loth  of  December;* 

"  To  His  EXCELLENCY  JAMES  BUCHANAN, 

"President  of  the  United  States. 

"  In  compliance  with  our  statement  to  you  yesterday,  we  now 
express  to  you  our  strong  convictions  that  neither  the  constituted 
authority  nor  any  body  of  the  people  of  the  State  of  South  Caro- 
lina will  either  attack  or  molest  the  United  States  forts  in  the 
harbor  of  Charleston  previous  to  the  act  of  the  Convention,  and, 


•Appendix  to  Journal   of  the  Convention,   1860-61.     Charleston,  1861. 
Statement  of  Messrs.  Miles  and 


INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  PRESIDENT.  39 

we  hope  and  believe,  not  until  ^an  offer  has  been  made  through 
an  accredited  representative  to'  negotiate  for  an  amicable  arrange- 
ment of  all  matters  between  the  State  and  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment; provided  that  no  reinforcement  shall  be  sent  into  those 
forts,  and  their  relative  military  status  shall  remain  as  at  present. 
"  (Signed.) 

"JOHN  MCQUEEN. 

"  WILLIAM  PORCHER  MILES. 

"  M.  L.  BONHAM. 

"  W.  W.  BOYCE. 

"  LAWRENCE  M.  KEITT. 
"WASHINGTON,  gth  December,  1860." 

The  President  objected  to  the  word  "  provided,"  because  it 
looked  as  if  he  was  to  be  bound,  while  there  was  no  authority  to 
bind  or  pledge  the  Convention.  The  delegation  did  not  so  under- 
stand it,  and  they  endeavored  to  convince  the  President  that  the 
maintenance  of  the  condition  of  things  was  wholly  and  absolutely 
in  his  power  ;  that  if  he  maintained  the  existing  condition  of 
things,  they  believed  that  any  collision  would  be  avoided  until  an 
attempt  at  peaceable  negotiation  had  failed.  If  he  did  not  main- 
tain such  condition,  then  a  collision  would  inevitably,  and  at 
once,  be  precipitated.  The  whole  effort  of  the  delegates  was 
directed  to  the  avoidance  of  a  collision  until  peaceable  negotia- 
tion had  failed.  The  words  "  military  status  "  were  commented 
upon,  and  the  delegation  expressly  stated  that  the  transfer  of  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter  would  be  equivalent  to 
a  reinforcement,  and  would  as  certainly  lead  to  a  collision  as  the 
sending  of  fresh  troops.  As  the  delegates  rose  to  go,  the  Presi- 
dent said,  substantially,  "After  all,  this  is  a  matter  of  honor 
among  gentlemen;  I  do  not  know  that  any  paper  or  writing  is 
necessary;  we  understand  each  other."  But  not  yet  satisfied  that 
they  were  thoroughly  understood,  one  of  the  delegation  observed: 
"  Mr.  President,  you  have  determined  to  let  things  remain  as  they 
are,  and  not  to  send  reinforcements;  but  suppose  you  should  here- 
after change  your  policy  for  any  reason,  what  then  ?  That  would 
put  us,  who  are  willing  to  use  our  personal  influence  to  prevent 
any  attack  upon  the  forts  before  commissioners  are  sent  on  to 
Vashington,  in  rather  an  embarrassing  position."  The  President  at 
once  remarked,  "Then  I  would  first  return  you  this  paper."  The 
impression  made  upon  the  delegation,  as  the  result  of  this  inter- 
view, was  that  the  President  was  wavering,  and  had  not  wholly 


4O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

decided  as  to  what  course  he  would  pursue.  The  importance  of 
this  interview  cannot  be  over-estimated.  By  it  a  conviction  was 
established  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  not  only  of  South  Caro- 
lina, but  of  the  entire  South,  that  the  status  then  existing  would 
be  maintained  under  the  most  solemn  assurances.  When,  there- 
fore, his  officer  in  Charleston  Harbor  made  his  sudden  movement  to 
Fort  Sumter,  and  the  President  failed  to  restore  the  status,  it  gave 
rise  to  serious  accusations  of  breach  of  faith,  and  of  his  failure  to 
keep  his  pledged  word.  It  is  fortunate  that  the  views  held  by 
either  party  to  the  interview,  and  of  its  obligation,  are  matters  of 
record.  On  the  4th  of  January,  1861,  in  the  secret  session  of  the 
Convention  of  South  Carolina,  a  resolution  was  passed,  calling 
upon  Messrs.  Miles  and  Keitt,  two  of  the  late  Representatives  in 
Congress,  for  a  statement  "  setting  forth  exactly  the  understand- 
ing which  existed  between  them  and  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  circumstances  which  attended  that  understand- 
ing." The  statement  was  duly  furnished  to  the  Convention,*  in 
which  "a  full  and  exact  account  of  what  passed  between  the  Pres- 
ident and  the  delegation  "  was  recited,  as  well  as  their  conception 
of  what  they  believed  had  been  secured  at  that  interview.  They 
held  that  the  understanding,  or  "  agreement,"  was  a  "pledge;"  that 
the  President,  in  putting  the  matter  upon  the  high  footing  "  as  a 
matter  of  honor  among  gentlemen,  in  which  no  paper  or  writing 
is  necessary,"  was  acting  in  a  double  capacity,  "  not  only  as  a  gen- 
tleman whose  share  in  carrying  out  the  agreement  was  potential, 
but  as  the  head  of  the  army,  and  therefore  having  the  absolute 
control  of  the  whole  matter  of  reinforcing  or  transferring  the  gar- 
rison at  Charleston."  The  delegation  left  the  President,  consid- 
ering him  after  their  interview  as  bound  in  honor,  if  not  by  treaty 
stipulation,  not  to  make  any  change  in  the  status  then  existing  in 
Charleston  Harbor,  while  all  of  the  delegation,  and  especially 
those  who  had  been  elected  to  the  Convention,  felt  equally  bound 
to  do  everything  on  their  part  to  prevent  any  premature  collision. 
The  authorities  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina  had  taken  a  similar 
view.  On  the  2d  of  January,  in  a  communication  to  Brigadier- 
General  Simons,  commanding  the  Fourth  Brigade  of  the  South 
Carolina  Militia,  the  Governor  stated  that  there  was,  when  he 
came  to  the  city,  a  "  distinct  pledge  of  faith  between  the  Gov- 


*  Statement  of  Messrs.  Miles  and  Keitt  to  South  Carolina  Convention. 


GOVERNOR  PICfCENS  CLAIMS  A  "PLEDGE."  41 

eminent  at  Washington  and  those  who  had  a  right  to  speak  for 
South  Carolina,  that  everything  in  the  harbor  and  all  the  forts 
should  remain  precisely  as  they  then  were,  and  that  there  should 
be  no  increase  of  force  or  any  reinforcements  sent  from  abroad 
until  our  Commissioners  presented  themselves  at  Washington  and 
made  regular  negotiations  for  the  forts.  I  acted  with  confidence 
upon  this  pledge.*  Suddenly  we  were  surprised  at  the  step 
taken  by  Major  Anderson,  now  acknowledged  and  proclaimed  by 
the  late  Secretary  of  War  to  be  in  open  violation  of  the  faith  of 
the  Government.!"  On  the  3d  of  January,  in  his  message  to  the 
Legislature,  the  Governor  formally  stated  that  "  it  was  distinctly 
understood"  that  those  who  had  a  right  to  pledge  the  parties  on 
both  sides  had  agreed  that  the  status  in  the  harbor  should  in  no 
way  be  disturbed  until  the  Commissioners  to  be  sent  by  the  State 
should  present  themselves  at  Washington.  There  was  no  positive 
stipulation  entered  into.  The  delegation  was  not  empowered  to 
bind  the  Convention  or  the  State  in  any  way,  and  were  in  no  way 
accredited  for  any  like  purpose.  They  assumed,  "  as  gentlemen" 
and  in  view  of  their  prominent  position,  to  indicate  the  course  and 
policy  of  the  State,  and  they  claimed  that  this  "  very  fact "  should 
have  made  the  President  more  ready  to  strengthen  their  hands  to 
bring  about  and  carry  out  that  course  and  policy  which  he  pro- 
fessed to  have  as  much  at  heart  as  they  had.J  How  the  Presi- 
dent himself  came  to  look  upon  this  "  understanding,  "  or  "  agree- 
ment," when  late  in  December  the  secession  ordinance  had  been 
passed  by  the  Convention  of  South  Carolina  and  Major  Ander- 
son had  transferred  his  command  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter,  will  be  seen  in  his  answer  to  the  South  Carolina  Commis- 
sioners in  a  subsequent  part  of  this  narrative.  But,  however  the 
President  or  his  advisers  may  have  regarded  it,  it  was  not  deemed 
essential  that  Major  Anderson  should  be  informed  of  it.  It  was 
not  anticipated  that  he  or  his  command  would  change  the  existing 
status,  but  that  anything  requiring  such  action  would  be  referred 
to  Washington.  Hardly  had  the  interview  between  the  President 
and  the  South  Carolina  delegation  terminated,  when  the  Assistant 

*Journals  of  both  Houses,  p.  148.  Journal  of  the  Senate,  January  4, 
1861.  Governor's  Message. 

t  Pickens  in  reply  to  General  Simons's  report,  Record  of  Sumter,  1862, 
p.  17. 

J  Statement  of  Messrs,  Miles  and  Keitt  to  the  South  Carolina  Convention. 


42  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Secretary  of  State  was  announced,  and  a  long  conference  with  the 
President  took  place.  The  President  referred  to  his  interview 
with  the  delegation,  and  expressed  his  great  satisfaction  at  the 
character  of  the  paper  presented  to  him  by  them. 

"  He  then  showed  me  a  paper,"  says  the  Assistant  Secretary, 
"  signed  by  all  of  them  but  Colonel  Ashmore,  the  paper  which  he 
afterwards  quoted  in  his  letter  to  the  Commissioners.  He  ap- 
peared to  be  much  gratified  and  relieved  by  it,  and  said  that  he 
had  asked  them  to  see  me  and  he  would  then  have  a  talk  with  me. 
I  told  him  I  had  not  seen  them,  but  that  the  paper  did  not 
go  any  further,  if  as  far,  as  the  Governor's  letter  which  I  had 
communicated  to  him. 

"What  letter  ?"  said  he.  "  I  do  not  recollect  it;  and  when  did 
you  show  it  to  me  ?" 

"  The  evening,"  I  replied,  "  on  which  you  gave  me  your  mes- 
sage to  carry  to  Columbia."  He  said  he  did  not  remember  it. 

"  Have  you  got  it  ?" 

I  said  it  was  at  my  house,  and  I  could  get  it  in  a  few  minutes; 
and  that,  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  had  just  come  in,  I  would 
leave  them  to  their  business  while  I  went  for  it.  I  brought  it  back 
with  me,  and  read  it  to  the  President  in  Mr.  Thompson's  presence. 
We  then  discussed  it  and  the  whole  subject,  and  I  told  the  Presi- 
dent that  my  visit  confirmed  exactly  what  I  had  said  to  him  before 
I  went. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  that  is  all  very  well  up  to  the  point  where 
the  negotiation  stops,  for  Congress  may  refuse  to  entertain  it." 

"  Then,  sir,"  said  I,  "  I  will  speak  with  the  most  perfect  can- 
dor: the  State  will  take  the  forts.  What  else  can  she  do,  if  she 
is  in  earnest  ?  But  I  hope  the  negotiation  will  not  fail."  And  I 
added  : 

"  Mr.  President,  why  keep  troops  in  the  forts  at  all  ?  If  I  under- 
stand your  message  rightly,  you  consider  them  simply  as  prop- 
erty, just  as  you  do  the  Post  Office,  the  Custom  House  and  the 
Sub-Treasury  buildings.  You  don't  propose  to  guard  them,  do 
you  ?" 

He  said  "  No." 

"  Then,"  said  I,  "  why  not  treat  the  forts  precisely  in  the  same 
manner? — keep  an  orderly-sergeant  and  one  or  two  men  there 
only." 

He  said  he  had  great  faith  in  the  honor  of  the  State;  and  that 


CHANGES  IN  THE  CABINET. 


43 


the  Governor's  letter  and  the  memorandum  of  the  Carolina  dele- 
gation were  a  guarantee,  he  believed,  that  nothing  violent  would 
be  done;  that  he  would  receive  the  Commissioners  kindly  and 
refer  the  whole  matter  to  Congress,  and  so  on,  traveling  round  in 
the  same  circle;  and  I  took  my  leave.  Soon  after  my  return  I 
placed  my  resignation,  dated  the  loth  of  December,  in  the  hands 
of  General  Cass.  When  I  went  into  his  room  to  give  it  to  him, 
he  begged  me  to  keep  it  for  a  day  or  two,  for  events  might  render 
it  unnecessary — at  least  he  perhaps  could  not  act  on  it.  He  said 
he  could  not  speak  more  plainly,  but  the  next  day  he  would  explain 
all,  although  I  probably  understood  him.  This,  of  course,  I  knew 
meant  only  one  thing.  From  the  beginning  of  the  controversy  he 
had  held  but  one  opinion  and  one  language,  and  he  had  now  sub- 
mitted to  the  President  the  alternative  of  reinforcing  the  forts  or 
accepting  his  resignation;  and  the  next  day,  the  President  having 
refused  to  consent  to  this  course,  he  resigned.  Under  the  circum- 
stances, I  felt  bound  to  say  to  the  President  that  I  would  continue 
in  office  until  he  had  appointed  a  new  Secretary,  provided  the  ap- 
pointment was  made  before  the  ordinance  of  secession  was  passed 
by  the  Convention.  For  the  refusal  to  adopt  the  advice  of  General 
Cass  was  in  the  interest  of  the  State,  and  it  would  have  embarrassed 
the  President  very  much  to  have  had  the  Department  without 
either  a  Secretary  or  Assistant  Secretary.  Judge  Black  the  Attor- 
ney-General, who  was  appointed  General  Cass's  successor,  was 
very  busy  in  the  Supreme  Court,  and  it  was  not,  I  think,  before 
the  i  yth  that  I  fairly  ceased  official  action  at  the  Department, 
and  the  2oth  before  Judge  Black  acknowledged  the  resignation 
left  with  General  Cass." 

Meantime,  a  despatch  had  arrived  from  Major  Anderson  stating 
that  he  felt  secure  in  his  position,  and  this,  in  connection  with  the 
influence  exercised  by  the  Southern  members  of  the  Cabinet,  in- 
duced the  President  to  change  his  purpose,  and  reinforcements 
were  not  sent  to  the  forts  in  Charleston  Harbor.  In  consequence, 
the  Secretary  of  State  now  submitted  to  the  President,  in  the 
presence  of  the  Cabinet,  a  paper  recommending  the  immediate 
reinforcement  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston.  The 
President  received  it  without  comment,  and  a  few  days  later  Gen- 
eral Cass  tendered  his  resignation. 

In  a  previous  interview  with  the  Attorney-General,  General 
Cass  had  intimated  to  him  his  intention  to  resign  his  office.  He 


44  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

was  asked  by  Judge  Black  if  he  had  communicated  his  intention  to 
the  President,  when  he  replied  that  he  had  not  yet.  Subsequently, 
the  resignation  of  General  Cass  was  carried  by  Judge  Black  to 
the  President.  Two  days  afterward,  the  Secretary  called  upon 
Judge  Black,  and  said  to  him  that  he  had  been  hasty  in  tendering 
his  resignation;  that  he  had  yielded  to  a  pressure  brought  upon 
him  by  those  about  him,  who  had,  in  a  measure,  compelled  him 
to  it;  that,  upon  reflection,  he  thought  that  the  matter  involved 
was  a  question  that  belonged  to  the  War  Department  rather  than 
to  his  own,  and  that  he  desired  to  withdraw  his  resignation,  and 
requested  Judge  Black  to  mention  his  wish  to  the  President.  In 
an  interview  which  took  place  soon  after,  the  wish  of  General  Cass 
was  mentioned  by  Judge  Black  to  the  President,  who  declined  to 
return  his  resignation  to  General  Cass,  and  who  at  once  tendered 
to  Judge  Black  the  position  of  Secretary  of  State,  which  was 
accepted,  with  the  understanding  that  Edwin  M.  Stanton  should 
receive  the  appointment  of  Attorney-General.  The  resignation 
of  General  Cass  took  effect  on  the  i4th  of  December,  when  he 
left  the  Cabinet. 


CHAPTER  V. 

South  Carolina  Convention  meets  at  Columbia  —  Organizes  —  Speech  of  President 
Jamison  —  Character  of  the  Convention  —  Its  composition  —  Relations  to 
previous  conventions  —  Committee  to  draft  an  ordinance  of  Secession  ap- 
pointed—Adjournment to  Charleston  —  Impatience  of  the  people  —  Assembles 
at  Institute  Hall  —  Enthusiasm  —  Session  of  the  Convention  —  Its  proceedings 
bearing  upon  the  public  property  in  the  harbor  —  Various  resolutions  adopt- 
ed with  reference  to  the  Government  at  Washington—  Committees  ap- 
pointed to  report  ordinance  for  Convention  to  form  a  Southern  Confed- 
eracy—Chancellor Inglis,  of  Chesterfield,  reports  ordinance  of  Secession  — 
Passed  unanimously  —  Governor  and  Legislature  invited  to  be  present  at 
Institute  Hall  to  witness  the  signing  of  ordinance  —  Great  enthusiasm  as 
procession  passed  —  Hall  crowded  —  Ordinance  signed  by  every  member  — 
President  announces  the  State  of  South  Carolina  an  independent  common- 
wealth —  Quiet  adjournment—  Excitement  of  the  people. 


PROMPTLY  on  the  morning  of  the  lyth  of  December,  the  Con- 
vention met  at  Columbia,  without  a  single  absentee,  and  proceeded 
to  organize  by  calling  to  the  chair  Mr.  D.  F.  Jamison,  of  Barnwell. 
Upon  taking  his  place  Mr.  Jamison  announced  that  it  was  their 
fixed  determination  to  throw  off  a  Government  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed,  and  to  provide  for  their  future  safety;  that  if 
anything  had  been  decided  by  the  elections  for  a  Convention,  it 
was  that  South  Carolina  must  dissolve  her  connection  with  the 
Confederacy  as  speedily  as  possible.  Overtures  from  without  were 
to  be  feared,  and  he  trusted  "  that  the  door  is  forever  closed  to  all 
further  connection  with  our  Northern  confederates;"  and  he 
closed  his  speech  by  advising  the  South,  as  did  Danton  at  the 
commencement  of  the  French  Revolution,  "  To  dare  !  and  again 
to  dare  !  and  without  end  to  dare." 

Having  been  elected  as  permanent  President  of  the  Conven- 
tion, Mr.  Jamison  said,  in  a  short  speech,  that  there  was  no  honor 
he  should  esteem  more  highly  than  to  sign  the  ordinance  of  seces- 
sion as  a  member  of  the  Convention,  but  to  sign  it  as  its  President 
would  be  the  greatest  honor  of  his  life. 

In  view  of  the  subsequent  action  of  this  body,  and  that  by  it 
secession  was  inaugurated  in  the  South,  it  is  instructive  as  well  as 

45 


46  'THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

interesting  to  glance  at  its  composition,  its  character  and  capacity, 
and  to  follow  in  part  its  career. 

When  the  call  for  a  Convention  was  presented  to  the  people 
of  South  Carolina  it  found  them  not  unprepared.  They  well  knew 
the  object  of  its  creation.  Twice  before,  in  her  history,  South 
Carolina  had  called  conventions  of  her  people  to  consider  what 
steps  should  be  taken  to  resist  what  she  considered  the  infringe- 
ment of  her  sovereignty  by  the  General  Government.  It  is  true 
that  her  Nullification  Ordinance  and  her  legislative  acts  dependent 
upon  it  in  1832,  were  rendered  nugatory  by  the  passage  of  Mr. 
Clay's  Compromise  Tariff  of  the  i2th  of  February,  1833;  it  is  true 
that  the  general  acquiescence  of  the  Southern  States  in  the 
compromise  measures  of  the  same  great  statesman  in  1850  (but 
which  she  regarded  as  a  surrender  of  the  whole  matter  at  issue) 
had  induced  her  to  forego  secession;  still,  the  spirit  that  had 
animated  these  conventions  survived. 

Men  that  had  sat  in  them,  as  well  as  those  who  by  pamphlet 
or  speech  had  been  conspicuous  in  their  advocacy  of  the  right  of 
secession,  were  taken  up  by  the  people  and  returned  by  large 
majorities.  For  a  whole  generation  the  people  of  South  Carolina 
had  discussed  the  question  of  separation  from  the  Federal  Union, 
and  when  asked  again  to  vote  for  a  Convention  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  into  consideration  the  dangers  incident  to  the  position  of 
the  State  in  the  Federal  Union,  to  take  measures  for  providing 
against  the  same,  and  to  take  care  that  the  Commonwealth  suffered 
no  detriment,  they  knew  well  what  was  expected  of  them,  and  they 
cordially  and  eagerly  responded  to  the  summons,  by  the  election 
of  a  body  of  men  as  unanimous  in  sentiment,  as  calm  and  deliber- 
ate in  feeling,  but  as  earnest  and  able,  as  ever  assembled  in  any 
State  of  the  Union.  This  Convention  of  1860,  unlike  the  Legis- 
lature that  called  it  into  being,  was  a  body  of  elderly  men.  Half 
of  its  members  were  upwards  of  fifty  years  old;  three-fourths 
were  over  thirty-five.  A  large  proportion  had  occupied  prominent 
public  positions;  four — R.  Barnwell  Rhett,  Robert  W.  Barnwell, 
William  F.  De  Saussure  and  James  Chesnut,  Jr. — had  represented 
South  Carolina  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States;  two  of  these, 
Messrs.  Barnwell  and  Rhett,  had  previously  served  in  the  lower 
House;  and  one,  James  L.  Orr,  had  also  once  been  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives.  Five — J.  P.  Richardson,  J.  H. 
Means,  John  L.  Manning,  J.  H.  Adams,  and  W.  H.  Gist — had 


COMPOSITION  Of  CONVENTION. 


47 


been  Governors  of  the  State.  The  Honorable  I.  W.  Hayne  had 
been  for  ten  years  Attorney- General. 

The  Judiciary  was  largely  represented.  Elected  by  the 
Legislature,  and  for  life,  with  ample  support  to  maintain  the 
dignity  of  the  position,  their  office  was  scarcely  deemed  second, 
in  point  of  honorable  distinction,  to  the  United  States  senatorship 
itself.  In  this  Convention  were  ex-United  States  Judge  A.  G. 
Magrath;  Chancellor  Benjamin  Dunkin,  afterwards  the  Chief 
Justice,  a  native  of  Massachusetts;  Chancellors  Wardlaw,  Carroll, 
and  Inglis,  a  native  of  Maryland;  Judges  Withers,  Glover,  Whit- 
ner,  and  D.  L.  Wardlaw.  There  were  leading  lawyers  from  dif- 
ferent portions  of  the  State.  Eminent  clergymen  of  the  Baptist 
and  Methodist  churches,  railroad  presidents,  large  manufacturers 
and  influential  planters  and  merchants.  Eight  of  the  delegates 
had  been  members  of  the  State  Convention  of  1833,  which  nulli- 
fied the  Protective  Tariff  Acts  of  1828  and  1832.  Twenty-eight 
had  been  members  of  the  State  Convention  of  1852,  when  the 
question  of  the  status  of  the  territory  acquired  by  the  Mexican 
war  was  under  discussion;  a  Convention  that  affirmed  the  right  of 
the  State  to  secede  from  the  Federal  Union,  and  that  declared 
that  "  the  frequent  violations  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  by  the  General  Government  and  its  encroachments  upon 
the  reserved  rights  of  the  sovereign  States  of  the  Union,  especially 
in  relation  to  slavery,  amply  justify  this  State,  so  far  as  any  duty 
or  obligation  to  her  confederates  was  involved,  in  dissolving  at 
once  all  political  connection  with  her  co-States,  and  that  she  for- 
bears the  exercise  of  this  manifest  right  of  self-government,  from 
considerations  of  expediency  only,"  viz.,  the  want  of  co-opera- 
tion. 

Original  and  thorough-going  secessionists  were  in  a  minority 
in  the  Convention.  Those  who  were  formerly  of  the  co-operation 
party  largely  predominated.  There  was  an  element  of  over-cau- 
tion in  the  Convention,  that  showed  itself  abundantly  in  the 
shrinking,  temporizing  policy  in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter,  and  in  the 
elaborate  and  repeated  efforts  at  peaceful  diplomacy,  which 
drifted  the  State  with  the  issue  unsettled  to  the  time  when  the 
incoming  administration,  seated  firmly  in  power,  were  ready  to  use 
the  whole  power  of  the  Government  upon  the  first  hostile  move- 
ment made  upon  the  public  property  or  upon  the  flag. 

Hardly  had  the  Convention  assembled  at  Columbia  when  a 


4&  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

resolution  was  introduced  by  Chancellor  J.  A.  Inglis  to  the  ef- 
fect that  "  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  Convention  that  the  State 
should  forthwith  secede  from  the  Federal  Union  known  as 
the  United  States  of  America,  and  that  a  committee  be  appoint- 
ed to  draft  an  ordinance  to  be  adopted  by  the  Convention  in 
order  to  accomplish  this  purpose  of  secession."  ( Vide  Journal 
of  Convention,  1860,  p.  13.)  It  passed  without  a  dissenting 
voice. 

Meantime,  a  contagious  disease  having  broken  out  in  the  city, 
the  Convention  resolved  to  change  its  session  to  Charleston,  and 
it  reassembled  in  that  city  on  the  i8th.  Already  the  impatience 
of  the  people  began  to  be  manifested,  and  open  dissatisfaction  was 
expressed  that  the  Secession  Ordinance  had  not  been  passed  before 
adjournment  to  Charleston;  and  Mr.  W.  P.  Miles,  a  delegate  from 
Charleston,  earnestly  opposed  the  resolution  to  adjourn  to  that 
city,  "  or  anywhere  else,"  until  the  Secession  Ordinance  should  be 
passed.  There  appeared  to  be  but  one  unanimous  sentiment,  and 
that  was  for  immediate  separation  from  the  Union.  If  any  attach- 
ment remained  for  the  old  Union,  it  was  not  manifested.  Argu- 
ment had  exhausted  itself  after  a  discussion  of  thirty  years,  and 
the  sole  question  now  was  as  to  the  manner  of  accomplishing  the 
object  in  view.  There  was  no  place  for  mild  counsels,  and  as  one 
by  one  the  links  that  connected  them  with  the  Government  were 
broken  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  grew  more  and  more  intense, 
until,  firm  as  one  mind  in  what  they  believed  to  be  the  right,  and 
sustained  by  the  confident  hope  of  a  united  South,  the  people  of 
South  Carolina  did  not  hesitate  to  go  steadily  on  in  the  course 
marked  out  for  them,  until  it  brought  them  face  to  face  with  the 
General  Government,  and  at  a  point  from  which  neither  felt  that 
they  could  retire. 

No  concession,  no  compromise,  no  constitutional  guarantee 
was  now  possible  to  an  amicable  arrangement  that  had  not  for  its 
basis  the  separation  and  independence  of  the  State;  the  people 
scorned  the  idea  of  compromise,  and  it  was  under  these  auspices 
and  in  view  of  a  future  clearly  determined  upon,  that  the  Conven- 
tion of  South  Carolina  reassembled  in  Charleston  on  the  i8th  of 
December. 

In  the  large  room  of  Institute  Hall,  the  Convention  reassem- 
bled at  4  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  i8th  of  December. 
Crowds  of  excited  people  thronged  the  streets  and  open  squares 


S£C£SSJOM  HALL. 


•    .'         .  )     V       ^: 


INSTITUTE  OR  SECESSION   HALL. 


5 6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

of  the  city,  and  filled  the  passage  and  stairways  of  the  hall.  Con- 
gratulations were  exchanged  on  every  side,  while  earnest  dissatis- 
faction was  freely  expressed  that  the  passage  of  the  Secession 
Ordinance  had  been  delayed. 

Blue  cockades*  and  cockades  of  palmetto  appeared  in  almost 
every  hat;  flags  of  all  descriptions,  except  the  National  colors, 
were  everywhere  displayed.  Upon  the  gavel  that  lay  upon  the 
Speaker's  table,  the  word  "  Secession "  had  been  cut  in  deep 
black  characters.!  The  enthusiasm  spread  to  the  more  practical 
walks  of  trade,  and  the  business  streets  were  gay  with  bunting  and 
flags,  as  the  tradespeople,  many  of  whom  were  Northern  men, 
commended  themselves  to  the  popular  clamor  by  a  display  of 
coarse  representations  on  canvasj  of  the  public  men,  and  of  the 
incidents  daily  presenting  themselves,  and  of  the  brilliant  future 
in  store  for  them. 

The  session  of  the  Convention  lasted  but  one  hour;  there  was 
great  unanimity.  After  a  resolution  for  a  committee  to  prepare 
an  address  to  the  people  of  the  Southern  States,  at  the  head  of 
which  was  Mr.  R.  B.  Rhett,  Judge  Magrath  moved,  "  That  so  much 
of  the  message  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  as  relates 
to  what  he  designates  '  the  property  of  the  United  States  in 
South  Carolina,'  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  thirteen  to  report 
of  what  such  property  consists,  how  acquired,  and  whether  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  so  acquired  can  be  enjoyed  by  the  United 
States,  after  the  State  of  South  Carolina  shall  have  seceded,  con- 
sistently with  the  dignity  and  safety  of  the  State;  and  that  the 
said  committee  further  report  the  value  of  the  property  of  the 
United  States  not  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  value  of  the  share 
thereof  to  which  South  Carolina  would  be  entitled  upon  an  equi- 
table division  thereof  among  the  United  States."  And  it  was  made 
the  order  of  the  day  for  one  o'clock  the  next  day,  when  it  was 
unanimously  adopted. 

To  enable  the  speakers  to  be  better  heard,  the  Convention 


*  Cockades  had  been  worn  during  the  Nullification  excitement. 

\  Personal  observation. 

}  One  canvas  represented  Judge  Magrath  in  the  act  of  firing  a  piece  of 
artillery  in  his  library;  another  represented  Mr.  Lincoln  endeavoring  to  split  a 
palmetto  log;  while  a  third  showed  the  anticipated  prosperity  of  Charleston, 
the  wharves  crowded  with  cotton  bales  and  negroes,  and  the  harbor  filled  with 
shipping. 


AC'lION  OF  THE  CONVENTION.  c  j 

adjourned  their  session  to  a  building  known  as  St.  Andrews  Hall, 
and  here  the  question  of  the  Government  property  in  the  harbor 
was  first  discussed. 

From  the  very  initiation  of  the  movement  the  State,  however 
unwillingly,  found  herself  involved  with  the  General  Government. 
At  this  period  peaceable  separation  was  the  undoubted  wish  of 
all.  Those  who  desired  a  conflict  with  the  Government  were  few 
indeed;  and  while  the  most  sagacious  of  the  leaders  knew  that  to 
preserve  the  Union  there  would  be  war,  it  was  essential  that  this 
should  not  appear.  It  was  vital,  at  least  in  the  initiation  of  the 
movement,  that  there  should  be  no  conflict  until  a  united  South 
could  speak  and  act ;  and  the  whole  course  of  those  who  now  led 
the  movement  was  undoubtedly  in  favor  of  a  peaceful  solution  of 
the  difficulties  daily  presenting  themselves.  Not  that  either  the 
people  or  the  leaders  shrank  from  any  issue  necessary  to  success- 
ful separation,  but,  in  order  to  induce  and  to  secure  the  hearty 
co-operation  of  the  people,  and  thus  involve  them  in  a  common 
risk  and  a  common  cause,  it  was  necessary  to  induce  the  belief 
that  the  separation  of  the  State  would  be  peaceful. 

On  the  i  pth  the  Convention  reassembled  at  St.  Andrews  Hall, 
when  the  President  of  the  Convention  submitted  a  communica- 
tion from  J.  A.  Elmore,  the  Commissioner  from  Alabama,  enclos- 
ing a  telegram  received  on  the  night  of  the  lyth  from  Governor 
A.  B.  Moore,  of  Alabama. 

"  Tell  the  Convention,"  said  he,  "  to  listen  to  no  propositions 
of  compromise  or  delay;"  and  Mr.  Elmore  assures  the  President 
of  the  Convention  that  the  Governor  "  offers  it "  in  no  spirit  of 
dictation,  but  as  the  friendly  counsel  and  united  voice  of  the  true 
men  of  Alabama. 

After  some  discussion,  it  was  determined  that  no  reports  of 
the  speeches  should  be  made  or  permitted.  Propositions  were 
made  to  sit  with  closed  doors,  in  order  that  the  Convention  might 
keep  in  their  own  hands  all  reports  of  their  proceedings.  Doors 
were  closed  to  all  but  the  members.  Several  of  the  delegates 
who  were  absent  when  the  vote  was  taken  upon  the  resolution, 
that  it  was  the  sense  of  the  Convention  that  the  State  should 
forthwith  withdraw  from  the  Union,  now  appeared  and  asked  to 
have  their  votes  recorded  in  the  affirmative. 

The  special  order  of  the  day  being  the  resolution  in  reference 
to  that  part  of  the  message  of  the  President  of  the  United  States 


52  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WA&. 

which  refers  to  the  property  of  the  United  States  in  South  Caro- 
lina, it  was  considered,  and  a  committee  of  thirteen  was  appointed, 
at  the  head  of  which  was  A.  G.  Magrath,  to  report  to  the  Conven- 
tion upon  the  resolution.* 

It  was  resolved,  also,  to  send  three  commissioners,  bearing  an 
authenticated  copy  of  the  Secession  Ordinance  to  Washington  to 
be  laid  before  the  President  and  Congress.  And,  also,  that  these 
commissioners  should  be  empowered  to  treat  for  the  delivery  of 
the  forts,  magazines,  and  other  "real  estate;"  and  they  were  au- 
thorized to  treat  of  the  public  debt,  and  for  a  division  of  all  the 
property  held  by  the  United  States  as  the  agents  of  the  States, 
and  until  a  new  Confederacy  should  be  formed.  This  latter  reso- 
lution was  referred  to  the  "  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations."! 

As  on  the  previous  day,  the  feeling  exhibited  was  intense; 
each  man,  through  the  day,  as  he  met  his  neighbor,  anxiously 
asked  if  the  Ordinance  had  yet  passed.  The  public  offices  were 
all  thronged  by  earnest  men  awaiting  the  final  action  of  their 
State.  Deep-settled  purpose  was  apparent  upon  the  countenances 
of  all,  and  a  determination  everywhere  manifested  to  stand  by  the 
State  in  her  action  to  the  last.  The  Convention  was  composed 
of  men  in  whom  the  people  had  the  utmost  confidence,  and  with 
anxious  hearts  they  awaited  the  result  of  their  deliberations.  Not 
to  be  behind  in  any  effort  to  advance  the  movement,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  afford  security  to  the  State,  the  Board  of  Pilot  Com- 
missioners compelled  the  pilots  to  promise  that  they  would  not 
bring  any  United  States  vessels  into  the  harbor. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  2oth  knots  of  men  were  seen 
gathered  here  and  there  through  the  main  streets  and  squares  of 
Charleston.  The  Convention  was  not  to  meet  until  12  o'clock, 
but  it  was  understood  that  the  Committee  were  ready  to  report 
the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  and  that  it  would  certainly  pass  the 
Convention  that  day.  The  report  soon  spread.  Although  this 
action  had  been  fully  anticipated,  there  was  a  feverish  anxiety  to 


*  As  the  proceedings  of  the  Convention  have  been  published,  reference  is 
here  made  only  to  those  resolutions  referring  to  the  public  property  and  to 
Fort  bumter. 

t  Other  resolutions  were  introduced  to  define  the  status  of  the  State,  in 
view  of  her  new  relations  to  the  General  Government,  and  among  them  one  to 
determine  the  amount  of  legislation  of  Congress  that  had  been  abrogated  by 
secession,  and  how  much  remained  in  force,  notwithstanding  that  act. 


THE  FEELING  IN  CHARLESTON. 


53 


know  that  the  secession  of  the  State  was  really  accomplished,  and 
as  the  hour  of  noon  approached,  crowds  of  people  streamed  along 
the  avenues  towards  St.  Andrew's  Hall  and  filled  the  approaches.  A 
stranger  passing  from  the  excited  throng  outside  into  the  hall  of 
the  Convention  would  be  struck  with  the  contrast.  Ordinary  busi- 
ness was  quietly  disposed  of;  the  Mayor  and  Governor  and  the 
officials  of  the  Legislature  were  invited  to  seats  upon  the  floor; 
committees  authorized  by  previous  resolutions  were  announced 
by  the  President,  the  more  noticeable  being  that  of  the  late  United 
States  Judge  Magrath,  to  head  the  Committee  on  so  much  of 
the  President's  message  as  related  to  the  property  in  the  harbor, 
and  W.  P.  Miles  on  Foreign  Relations  looking  to  the  ordeal  in 
Washington.  Quietly  the  Convention  had  met,  and  had  been 
opened  with  prayer  to  God.  There  was  no  excitement.  There 
was  no  visible  sign  that  the  Commonwealth  of  South  Carolina  was 
about  to  take  a  step  more  momentous  for  weal  or  woe  than  had 
yet  been  known  in  her  history. 

Then  followed  the  introduction  of  a  resolution  by  Mr.  R.  B. 
Rhett,  that  a  committee  of  thirteen  be  appointed  to  report  an 
ordinance  providing  for  a  convention  to  form  a  Southern  Con- 
federacy, as  important  a  step  as  the  secession  of  the  State  itself. 
It  was  referred  to  the  appropriate  committee,  when  Chancellor 
Inglis  of  Chesterfield,  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  to  report 
an  ordinance  proper  of  secession,  arose  and  called  the  attention 
of  the  President. 

An  immediate  silence  pervaded  the  whole  assemblage  as  every 
eye  turned  upon  the  speaker.  Addressing  the  chair,  he  said  that 
the  Committee  appointed  to  prepare  a  draft  of  an  ordinance  proper, 
to  be  adopted  by  the  Convention  in  order  to  effect  the  secession 
of  South  Carolina  from  the  Federal  Union,  respectfully  report 
that  they  have  had  the  matter  under  consideration,  and  believe 
that  they  would  best  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  occasion  by 
expressing  in  the  fewest  and  simplest  words  all  that  was  necessary 
to  effect  the  end  proposed,  and  so  to  exclude  everything  which 
was  not  a  necessary  part  of  the  "  solemn  act  of  secession."  They 
therefore  submitted  the  following: 

ORDINANCE 

to  dissolve  the  Union  from  the  State  of  South  Carolina  and  other 
States  united  with  her  under  the  compact  entitled  "  The  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  of  America." 

We,  the  people  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  in  convention 


54  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

assembled,  do  declare  and  ordain,  and  it  is  hereby  declared  and 
ordained,  that  the  Ordinance  adopted  by  us  in  convention,  on  the 
23d  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  seventeen  hundred  and 
eighty-eight,  whereby  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was 
ratified,  and  also  all  the  acts  and  part  of  acts  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  this  State  ratifying  amendments  of  the  said  Consti- 
tution, are  hereby  repealed,  and  that  the  union  now  subsisting 
between  South  Carolina  and  other  States  under  the  name  of 
"  United  States  of  America"  is  hereby  dissolved. 

A  proposition  that  business  be  suspended  for  fifteen  minutes 
was  not  agreed  to,  and  the  question  was  at  once  put,  with  the 
result  of  a  unanimous  vote,  at  i:  30  p.  M.,  of  169  yeas,  nays  none. 
An  immediate  struggle  for  the  floor  ensued.  Mr.  W.  Porcher 
Miles  moved  that  an  immediate  telegram  be  sent  to  the  Members 
of  Congress,  at  Washington,  announcing  the  result  of  the  vote 
and  the  Ordinance  of  Secession.  It  was  then  resolved  to  invite 
the  Governor  and  both  branches  of  the  Legislature  to  Institute 
Hall,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  that  the  Convention 
should  move  in  procession  to  that  hall,  and  there,  in  the  presence 
of  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  State  and  the  people,  sign  the 
Ordinance  of  Secession.  That  a  clergyman*  of  the  city  should  be 
invited  to  attend,  and  upon  the  completion  of  the  signing  of  the 
Ordinance,  he  should  "return  thanks  to  Almighty  God  in  behalf 
of  the  people  of  this  State  and  to  invoke  His  blessings  upon  our 
proceedings."  The  Ordinance  was  then  turned  over  to  the  Attor- 
ney-General and  solicitors  to  be  engrossed. 

The  invitations  to  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
having  been  accepted,  the  Convention  moved  in  procession  at  the 
hour  indicated  to  Institute  Hall,  amid  the  crowds  of  citizens  that 
thronged  the  streets,  cheering  loudly  as  it  passed.  The  galleries 
of  the  hall  were  crowded  with  ladies,  who  waved  their  handker- 
chiefs to  the  Convention  as  it  entered,  with  marked  demon- 
stration. On  either  side  of  the  President's  chair  were  two  large 
palmetto  trees.  The  Hall  was  densely  crowded.  The  Ordinance, 
having  been  returned  engrossed  and  with  the  great  seal  of  the 
State,  attached  by  the  Attorney-General,  was  presented  and  was 
signed  by  every  member  of  the  Convention,  special  favorites 
being  received  with  loud  applause. f  Two  hours  were  thus  occupied. 

*  Dr.  Bachman  was  the  one  invited. 

t  Delegates  from  St.  Pauls  and  St  Michaels;  also  Mr.  Rhett,  Governor 
Gist  and  others. 


PASSAGE  OF  SECESSION  ORDINANCE. 


55 


The  President  then  announced  that  "  the  Ordinance  of  Secession 
has  been  signed  and  ratified,  and  I  proclaim  the  State  of  South 
Carolina,"  said  he,  "an  independent  Commonwealth." 

At  once  the  whole  audience  broke  out  into  a  storm  of  cheers; 
the  ladies  again  joined  in  the  demonstration;  a  rush  was  made  for 
the  palmetto  trees,  which  were  torn  to  pieces  in  the  effort  to 
secure  mementos  of  the  occasion.  As  soon  as  the  passage  of  the 
Secession  Ordinance  at  St.  Andrews  Hall  was  accomplished,  a 
messenger  left  the  house  and  rode  with  the  greatest  speed  to  the 
camp  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Rifles,  South  Carolina  Militia, 
Colonel  Pettigrew,  one  mile  distant,  where  in  front  of  the  paraded 
regiment  the  Ordinance  was  read  amid  the  loud  acclamations  of 
the  men. 

The  adjournment  of  the  Convention  was  characterized  by  the 
same  dignity  that  had  marked  its  sessions.  Outside,  the  whole 
city  was  wild  with  excitement  as  the  news  spread  like  wild-fire 
through  its  streets.  Business  was  suspended  everywhere;  the 
peals  of  the  church  bells  mingling  with  salvos  of  artillery  from  the 
citadel.  Old  men  ran  shouting  down  the  street.  Every  one 
entitled  to  it,  appeared  at  once  in  uniform.  In  less  then  fifteen 
minutes  after  its  passage,  the  principal  newspaper  of  Charleston 
had  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  eager  multitude  a  copy  of  the 
Ordinance  of  Secession.  Private  residences  were  illuminated, 
while  military  organizations  marched  in  every  direction,  the  music 
of  their  bands  lost  amid  the  shouts  of  the  people.  The  whole 
heart  of  the  people  had  spoken.  Men  in  elegant  life,  who  had 
never  known  labor  for  a  day,  stood  side  by  side  with  the  "  poor 
white  "  from  the  towns  and  the  country.  From  the  quiet  planta- 
tion, from  the  factory  and  the  workshop,  from  the  sand-hills  in  the 
interior  and  the  cities  on  her  coast,  the  manhood  of  South  Carolina 
hastened  without  condition  to  offer  themselves  and  their  services 
to  their  State. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Colonel  Gardiner  at  Moultrie — Makes  requisition  for  Ordnance  Stores — Issue 
made — Excitement  in  consequence — Telegrams  to  Washington — Relieved 
by  Major  Anderson — Sketch  of  a  letter  of  Anderson  to  War  Department, 
24th  of  November — Importance  of  this  letter — Force  under  Anderson — 
Work  going  on — Attempt  to  enroll  workmen — Correspondence  with  War 
Department  on  the  subject. 

THE  old  and  worthy  soldier  who  commanded  the  post  of  Fort 
Moultrie  was  slow  to  awaken  to  the  reality  of  his  position.  As 
early  as  the  month  of  October  the  engineer  officer  had  suggested 
to  his  chief  in  Washington  that  a  few  small-arms  should  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  his  workmen  at  Fort  Sumter  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Government  property  in  that  work.  The  Chief 
of  Ordnance*  approved  of  the  suggestion,  and  recommended  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  that,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  command- 
ing officer  of  the  troops  in  the  harbor,  he  might  be  authorized  to 
issue  forty  muskets  to  the  engineer  officer.  This  proposition  was 
approved  by  the  Secretary  and  submitted  to  the  commanding 
officer  at  Fort  Moultrie  for  his  approval  and  action,  who  replied 
that  he  saw  no  objection  to  the  "  propriety  "  of  the  issue.  The 
workmen  were  bound  by  the  principles  of  common  law,  as  well 
as  by  the  articles  of  war,  to  defend  the  public  property  in  their 
charge.  As  to  the  "expediency,"  it  was  another  question;  that 
most  of  the  109  laborers  in  Fort  Sumter  were  of  foreign  nation- 
ality, of  whom  it  is  prudent  to  be  somewhat  suspicious,  were 
indifferent  as  to  which  side  they  took,  and  could  at  any  moment 
discharge  themselves  of  their  obligations,  and  take  any  side  they 
saw  fit.  That  while  some  might  be  safely  trusted  with  arms, 
others  might  not  be,  and  unless  some  precaution  was  taken  to 
keep  the  arms  from  the  latter  class,  they  might  deliver  up  the 
post  "  on  a  bribe  or  demand."  He  thought  that  the  only  proper 
precaution  was  to  fill  up  his  companies  with  drilled  recruits, 
fifty  men,  and  to  occupy  Fort  Sumter  and  Castle  Pinckney.f 


*  Colonel  Craig,  Chief  of  Ordnance,  to  Secretary  of  War.     W,  of  R., 
ser.,  i  vol.,  p.  60. 

f  Colonel  Gardiner  to  Chief  of  Ordnance,  November  5,  1860. 

$<> 


ATTEMPT  TO  SUPPLY  RIOULTRIE. 


57 


The  issue  being  contingent  upon  the  approval  of  Colonel 
Gardiner,  was,  in  view  of  his  communication,  not  made,  and  the 
requisition  remained  unacted  upon  in  the  hands  of  the  military 
storekeeper  of  the  arsenal.  But  the  military  stores  at  Fort  Moul- 
trie  were  diminishing  daily,  and  no  effort  was  made  to  replace 
them  until,  urged  by  the  repeated  solicitation  of  his  officers,  the 
commanding  officer  finally  made  an  attempt  to  replenish  them 
from  the  arsenal  at  Charleston,  and  that  effort  cost  him  his  posi- 
tion. On  the  yth  of  November  he  directed  that  a  list  of  what 
was  immediately  necessary  should  be  made  out  and  sent  to  the 
military  storekeeper  at  the  arsenal.*  The  list  was  confined  to 
fixed  ammunition  for  small-arms,  consisting  principally  of  mus- 
ket cartridges,  percussion  caps,  primers,  etc ,  and  also  of  hand- 
grenades,  and  paint  and  lacquer  and  priming-tubes.  There  was 
a  deficiency  in  the  first,  and  there  were  none  of  the  last  on  hand 
that  were  serviceable.  The  military  storekeeper  had  informed 
the  proper  officer  that  he  had  these  stores  on  hand  for  issue,  and 
this  was  the  usual  and  official  mode  of  obtaining  supplies — a  mat- 
ter of  ordnance  routine.  But  the  existence  of  a  hostile  and 
excited  feeling  in  Charleston  in  regard  to  the  forts  was  well  known 
to  the  commandant  of  Fort  Moultrie.  The  arsenal  was  already 
watched  by  the  troops  of  the  State  by  night;  and  in  view  of  this, 
and  in  order  to  avoid  observation,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  put 
the  soldiers  detailed  for  the  duty  in  citizens'  dress  and  send  them 
in  a  schooner  to  a  private  wharf  near  the  arsenal.  The  object  of 
the  disguise  was  to  avoid  drawing  attention  to  the  men  employed, 
and  from  the  apprehension  of  a  collision.  Before  the  schooner 
started,  the  appearance  of  the  men  in  citizens'  dress  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  people  on  the  island,  and  developed  the  fact  that 
the  movements  of  the  men  were  watched.  Information  was  sent 
at  once  to  Charleston.  The  men  embarked  upon  the  schooner 
and  proceeded  to  the  arsenal  wharf,  which  ran  some  distance 
back  into  the  town.  Proceeding  to  the  arsenal  under  Brevet- 
Captain  Seymour,  who  had  accompanied  them,  arrangements  were 
made  with  the  military  storekeeper  to  transfer  the  required  ammu- 
nition on  board  the  schooner.  Some  carts  had  been  sent  for  to 
the  city,  but  failing  from  some  reason  to  arrive,  the  single  cart 
at  the  arsenal  was  employed  to  transport  the  boxes.  While  this 


*  Porter's  Report,  November  II,  1860, 


58  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

was  in  progress  (some  of  the  boxes  having  been  already  put  on 
board)  a  citizen  made  his  appearance  and  informed  the  corporal 
in  charge  of  the  men  that  the  proceeding  must  stop,  and  that  no 
more  ammunition  must  be  transferred.  The  corporal  went  at 
once  to  the  arsenal  and  informed  the  officer  in  charge,  who  pro- 
ceeded to  the  wharf  to  inquire  the  cause  of  the  interference.  He 
was  informed  by  a  citizen  that  the  wharf  was  a  private  one,  that 
it  was  his  property,  and  that  he  would  not  permit  anything  of  that 
character  to  leave  it,  unless  by  permission  of  the  authorities; 
that  he  had  sent  word  to  them,  and  that  they  would  soon  be  down. 
Captain  Seymour  expostulated,  but  the  citizen  was  firm,  and  said 
that  he  could  and  would  prevent  it;  that  he  only  needed  to  raise 
his  hand,  and  he  could  get  one  hundred  men  from  a  factory  near 
by.  It  was  thought  better  to  avoid  a  collision,  as  a  crowd  had 
collected;  and  the  boxes  were  removed  from  the  vessel,  which  had 
grounded  in  the  stream,  where  she  was  soon  after  visited  by  the 
authorities.  On  the  next  morning  Captain  Seymour  was  sent  to 
the  Mayor,  who  gave  the  requisite  permission,  which  Colonel 
Gardiner,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Moultne,  then  declined 
to  avail  himself  of,  as  the  city  authorities  had  no  right  in  any  way 
to  control  his  supplies.  Meantime,  and  without  delay,  a  tele- 
gram had  been  sent  to  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  at  Wash- 
ington, reciting  the  facts,  and  saying  that  if  the  removal  of  the 
ammunition  was  by  order  of  the  War  Department  it  ought  to  be 
revoked,  otherwise  collision  was  inevitable. 

What  took  place  in  Washington  is  thus  described  in  the  words 
of  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  himself: 

"  After  the  call  of  the  Convention,  but  before  the  election  of 
members  of  that  body,  just  as  I  was  sitting  down  to  dinner  one 
day,  I  received  a  telegram  from  Charleston,  saying  that  intense 
excitement  prevailed  in  the  city,  on  account  of  the  removal  by 
Colonel  Gardiner,  then  in  command  at  Fort  Moultrie,  of  some 
arms  and  ammunition  from  the  United  States  arsenal  in  the  city 
to  the  fort,  and  that  if  the  removal  was  by  orders  from  the  Depart- 
ment of  War  it  ought  to  be  revoked,  otherwise  collision  was 
inevitable.  Knowing  that  the  Cabinet  were  then  in  session,  I 
went  over  immediately  to  the  White  House,  and  met  the  members 
coming  from  the  President's  room.  I  took  Governor  Floyd  aside, 
and  he  was  joined,  I  think,  by  Messrs.  Cobb  and  Toucey,  and 
showed  them  the  telegram. 


EFFECT  IN  WASHINGTON. 


59 


Governor  Floyd  replied,  '  Telegraph  back  at  once;  say  you 
have  seen  me,  that  no  such  orders  have  been  issued,  and  none 
such  will  be  issued  under  any  circumstances.' 

"This  I  did  immediately.  When,  a  day  or  two  after,  I  received 
letters  giving  me  a  more  detailed  account  of  the  whole  transac- 
tion, I  again  saw  Governor  Floyd,  who  communicated  to  me  in  a 
very  full  conversation,  the  official  information  he  had  received, 
his  impressions  of  the  folly  of  Colonel  Gardiner's  conduct,  and 
his  final  determination  to  remove  him  and  supply  his  place  with 
Major  Robert  Anderson,  in  whose  discretion,  coolness  and  judg- 
ment he  put  great  confidence.  He  also  determined  to  send  Col- 
onel Ben.  Huger  to  take  charge  of  the  arsenal,  believing  that  his 
high  reputation,  his  close  association  with  many  of  the  most  influ- 
ential people  in  Charleston,  and  the  fact  of  his  being  a  Carolinian, 
would  satisfy  the  State  of  the  intentions  of  the  Government." 

The  action  of  Colonel  Gardiner  in  his  legitimate  attempt  to 
replenish  his  stores  from  the  arsenal  at  Charleston,  brought  the 
whole  subject  at  issue  so  plainly  before  the  Cabinet  at  Washington 
as  to  define  with  great  precision  the  position  of  some  of  the 
members.  It  was  upon  this  occasion  that  the  Secretary  of  War 
announced  without  hesitancy  the  position  he  held.  He  main- 
tained "  that  with  his  opinions  he  never  could  and  never  would 
consent  to  the  coercion  of  a  sovereign  State."  His  entire  view  of 
the  question  and  his  conclusions  were  in  advance  of  the  secession 
of  a  State.  The  consequence  of  such  a  condition  "was  a  grave 
question,  and  had  not  yet  arisen;  that  at  present  he  was  only 
resolved  upon  two  things:  not  to  reinforce  the  forts,  and  not  to 
allow  them  to  be  taken  by  an  unlawful  force."  This  position 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  was  fully  explained  at  his  own  request 
by  letters  from  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  to  prominent  and 
influential  men  in  South  Carolina,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the 
alarm  and  apprehensions  of  the  people  of  Charleston.  Meantime, 
in  order  to  acquaint  himself  more  thoroughly  with  the  actual 
condition  of  things  in  Charleston  Harbor,  he  had  despatched 
Major  Fitz  John  Porter,*  an  able  officer  of  the  Adjutant-General's 
Department,  on  the  yth  of  November,  to  inspect  the  fortifications 
and  troops  in  Charleston  Harbor.  Major  Porter  proceeded  to 


*  Official  Report  of   Major  F.  J.  Porter,  W.  D,     November    n,   1860. 
W,  of  R.  Vol.  I.  p.  70. 


60  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Charleston  on  the  yth  of  November,  and  after  a  thorough  inspec- 
tion submitted  his  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  He  reported 
that  there  was  an  absence  of  strict  discipline  in  the  command;  that 
no  sentinel  was  posted  over  the  buildings  and  storehouses  out- 
side the  fort;  and  that  an  incendiary  could  in  a  few  moments 
destroy  all  the  supplies  and  workshops;  that  sufficient  personal 
attention  was  not  given  to  the  Quartermaster  and  Subsistence 
departments;  that  the  troops  were  grossly  ignorant  of  their  drill 
as  infantry;  and  that  their  commanding  officers  manifested  a  want 
of  familiarity  with  the  tactics;  and  that  all  military  exercises  had 
been  suspended  for  a  long  time;  that  the  commanding  officer 
neglected  to  appear  at  inspection  or  drill,  and  that  "  such  neglect 
was  due  to  indifference  to  the  performance  of  military  duty;" 
that  no  precautions  had  been  taken  to  guard  against  an  attempt 
at  surprise  or  the  destruction  of  the  buildings,  which,  in  the 
highly  inflamed  condition  of  the  mass  of  the  community,  was  not 
improbable.  "  The  unguarded  state  of  the  fort  invites  attack,  if 
such  design  exists,  and  much  discretion  and  prudence  are  required 
on  the  part  of  the  commander  to  restore  the  proper  security  with- 
out exciting  a  community  prompt  to  misconstrue  actions  of 
authority.  I  think  this  can  be  effected  by  a  proper  commander, 
without  checking  in  the  slightest  the  progress  of  the  engineer  in 
completing  the  works  of  defense.  All  could  have  been  easily 
arranged  several  weeks  since,  when  the  danger  was  foreseen  by 
the  present  commander."  In  concluding  his  report  Major  Porter, 
contrary  to  the  opinion  and  recommendation  of  Major  Anderson, 
thought  it  unadvisable  to  occupy  Fort  Sumter,  "  so  long  as  the 
mass  of  engineer  workmen"  were  engaged  in  it,  but  that  the  "com- 
pletion of  those  parts  essential  for  the  accommodation  of  a  com- 
pany might  be  hastened."  In  regard  to  Castle  Pinckney,  he 
thought  that  "  under  present  circumstances"  he  would  not  recom- 
mend its  occupation.  In  view  of  this  report,  and  of  the  action  of 
Colonel  Gardiner  in  attempting  to  replenish  his  stores  from  the 
arsenal  at  Charleston,  it  was  determined  to  relieve  him  from  his 
command.  Accordingly,  on  the  i5th  of  November,  a  special 
order  was  issued  by  command  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott, 
directing  Major  Robert  Anderson,  First  Artillery,  to  "proceed 
to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  immediately  relieve  Brevet-Colonel  John  L. 
Gardiner,  Lieutenant-Colonel  First  Artillery,  in  command  thereof." 
Major  Anderson  had  been  promoted  to  his  present  grade  in  1 85  7. 


SKE  TCH  OF  MA  JOR  ANDERSON.  £  i 

He  was  the  senior  major  of  the  regiment,  two  companies  of  which 
with  the  headquarters  constituted  the  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie. 
A  graduate  of  the  Military  Academy  of  the  class  of  1825,  he 
had  been  in  continuous  service  and  in  various  capacities,  both 
civil  and  military.  He  had  been  instructor  of  Artillery  at 
West  Point,  and  had  largely  cultivated  the  literature  of  his  pro- 
fession. During  the  war  with  Mexico  he  had  served  upon  the 
staff  of  General  Scott,  who  had  maintained  a  high  opinion  of  his 
character  and  abilities,  which  opinion  was  shared  by  the  Secretary 
of  War.  He  had  been  brevetted  captain  "  for  gallantry  and  suc- 
cessful conduct"  in  the  Florida  war,  and  major  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Molino  del  Rey  in  Mexico, 
where  he  was  severely  wounded.  While  Southern  by  birth  and 
connection,  as  well  as  in  his  sympathies,  he  was  yet  controlled 
by  a  high  sense  of  honor,  which  influenced  him  in  his  duty  to 
his  Government  to  the  last.  Independently  of  his  regimental 
position,  he  appeared  to  be  especially  fitted  for  the  command  in 
Charleston  Harbor,  in  view  of  the  complicated  and  threatening 
relations  almost  daily  presenting  themselves;  and  in  sending  him 
to  Fort  Moultrie  the  authorities  in  Washington  believed  that 
while  he  was  likely  to  be  acceptable  to  the  authorities  and  people 
of  South  Carolina,  they  could  wholly  rely  upon  him  to  protect 
and  defend  the  interests  of  this  Government. 

He  was  at  this  time  wholly  in  accord  with  the  views  of  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Scott,  and  he  clearly  saw  and  announced  the  result 
of  any  other  policy.  Later,  as  the  responsibility  pressed  upon 
him,  and  his  position  in  Fort  Sumter  seemed  to  give  him  control, 
he  became  largely  impressed  and  influenced  by  the  political  com- 
plication; and  as  State  after  State  severed  its  connection  with  the 
Union,  he  became  more  and  more  despairing  of  any  good  result. 
Of  pure  morals  and  of  strong  religious  nature,  he  sought  Divine 
guidance  to  sustain  him  in  all  his  acts.  He  never  at  any  time 
believed  that  the  coercion  of  the  South  was  possible.  He  became 
devoted  to  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  troubles,  and  in  his  effort  to 
attain  it  he  at  times  wellnigh  compromised  his  position  as  a 
soldier.  His  true  views,  as  well  as  the  convictions  which  influenced 
him,  appear  more  clearly  in  his  private  correspondence,  as  will  be 
seen  subsequently. 

Major  Anderson  proceeded  at  once  to  his  post,  and,  without 
delay,  in  company  with  the  engineer  officer  in  charge,  instituted 


62  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

a  close  inspection  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor.  On  the  23d  of  Nov- 
ember he  reported  to  the  Government  that  the  outer  defenses  of 
Fort  Moultrie  would  be  finished  and  the  guns  mounted  in  two 
weeks,  should  nothing  unforeseen  occur  to  prevent;  that  his 
position  was  rendered  insecure  by  the  existence  of  several  sand 
hillocks  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  eastern  wall,  which 
offered  admirable  cover  for  sharpshooters,  and  that  two  of  these  hill- 
ocks commanded  the  work ;  these  he  should  feel  compelled  to  level ; 
that  his  garrison  was  so  weak  as  to  invite  attack,  and  that  "  this 
was  openly  and  publicly  threatened;"  that  the  guns  in  the  lower 
tier  of  casemates  of  Fort  Sumter  would  be  mounted  in  seventeen 
days,  and  that  the  fort  itself  was  then  ready  "  for  the  temporary 
reception  of  its  proper  garrison;"  that  the  magazines  contained 
40,000  pounds  of  powder  and  a  full  supply  of  ammunition  for  one 
tier  of  guns. 

"  This  work,  Sumter,"  said  he,  "  is  the  key  of  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor;  its  guns  command  this  work,  Moultrie,  and  could  soon 
drive  out  its  occupants.  It  should  be  garrisoned  at  once." 

He  recommended  the  immediate  occupancy  of  Castle  Pinck- 
ney  by  a  garrison  of  two  officers  and  thirty  men,  as  by  such 
occupancy  he  thought  his  own  garrison  would  be  safer  and  more 
secure  from  attack.  He  thought  it  was  "essentially  import- 
ant "  that  it  should  be  immediately  occupied.  "  The  Charleston- 
ians,"  he  says,  "  would  not  venture  to  attack  this  place,  when 
they  knew  that  their  city  was  at  the  mercy  of  the  commander  of 
Castle  Pinckney;"  and  so  important  did  he  regard  this,  that  he 
asks  for  authority  to  occupy  it  by  an  officer  and  twenty-six 
laborers  to  make  repairs,  and  that  they  might  be  instructed  in  the 
use  of  the  guns  to  defend  it.  This  request  was  refused  by  the 
Secretary  of  War.*  He  earnestly  asked  that  reinforcements  might 
be  sent  to  him,  and  that  Fort  Sumter  and  Castle  Pinckney  should 
be  garrisoned;  and  he  assumed  the  responsibility  of  making  the 
above  suggestion  because  he  firmly  believed  that  as  soon  as  the 
people  of  South  Carolina  learned  that  he  had  demanded  reinforce- 
ments, they  would  occupy  Castle  Pinckney  and  attack  him  at  Fort 
Moultrie.  The  importance  of  this  communication  of  Major 
Anderson  to  his  Government  cannot  be  over-estimated.  It  was 
the  result  of  his  earliest  impressions.  He  had  just  taken  com- 


*  Adjutant-General's  office,  December  i,  1860.      S.  Cooper,   Adjutant- 
General. 


WORKMEN  SEKT  TO  CASTLE  PINCKNEY.  63 

mand,  and  after  an  inspection  of  his  position  and  surroundings 
his  military  instincts  at  once  suggested  the  only  proper  course  to 
be  pursued  ;  and  he  did  not  cease  to  urge  upon  the  Government 
the  necessity  for  immediate  reinforcement  until  he  came  to  feel 
how  powerless  he  was.  This  communication  was  submitted  to 


Pub/ic  street   bflonffhzff  te  SeutJi 


D 

Citizens  ' 

D 

ho  us  es . 


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fa 
ID 


D 


D 


D 


Citizen.* 


7iOUSCS. 


n  n 


n  light. 


SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  FORT   MOULTRIE. 


the  Secretary  of  War,  and  on  the  28th  of  November  Major  Ander- 
son was  informed  by  the  Adjutant-General  that  authority  had 
been  given  by  the  Engineer  Bureau  to  Captain  Foster  to  send  to 
Castle  Pinckney  the  engineer  workmen,  as  he  had  suggested,  and 
he  was  directed  to  forward  any  information  he  might  have  directly 


64  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to   the   Department  or  to  the  Secretary  himself,  thus  avoiding 
General  Scott. 

But  while  opposed  to  the  sending  of  any  enlisted  men  to  Fort 
Moultrie,  the  Secretary  of  War  was  willing  to  employ  civilians, 
and  upon  the  24th  of  November,  through  the  Adjutant-General  of 
the  Army,  he  had  asked  for  information  upon  the  present  state  of 
the  command  and  the  condition  and  "  capabilities  of  defense," 
and,  "  whether  in  view  of  maintaining  the  troops  ready  for  effi- 
cient action  and  defense,  it  might  not  be  advisable  to  employ  re- 
liable persons  not  connected  with  the  military  service  for  purposes 
of  fatigue  and  police."  Part  of  this  letter  had  been  anticipated. 
In  reply,  Major  Anderson  stated  that  the  excitement  was  too 
great,  and  he  doubted  whether  such  persons  could  be  obtained 
there.  Again,  on  November  28,  he  repeats  his  recommendation 
that  Castle  Pinckney  should  be  garrisoned,  as  more  could  be  done 
for  his  security  by  that  means  than  by  anything  that  could  be 
done  by  strengthening  the  defenses  of  Fort  Moultrie.  And  he 
reports  that,  had  he  been  in  command  at  an  earlier  period  and 
before  the  work  was  begun,  he  would  have  advised  the  removal  of 
the  garrison  to  Fort  Sumter,  "  which  so  perfectly  commands  the 
harbor  and  this  fort."  * 

The  whole  force  under  the  command  of  Major  Anderson  con- 
sisted of  seven  officers,  two  non-commissioned  staff,  seventeen 
non-commissioned  officers  and  seventy-five  enlisted  men,  of  whom 
eight  were  musicians.  There  was  no  restriction  at  this  period 
upon  any  intercourse  with  Charleston,  many  of  whose  citizens 
were  temporary  residents  of  Sullivan's  Island.  The  activity  about 
the  fort  drew  to  it  a  large  number  of  visitors  daily,  and  the  posi- 
tion of  the  garrison  and  the  probable  action  of  the  State  in  regard 
to  the  forts  were  constant  subjects  of  discussion.  There  was  as 
yet  no  untriendly  feeling  manifested,  and  the  social  intercourse 
between  the  garrison  and  their  friends  in  Charleston  was  uninter- 
rupted. But  as  the  days  went  on  the  feeling  assumed  a  more 
definite  shape,  and  found  expression  in  many  ways.  The  officers 
of  the  garrison  were  informed  by  prominent  citizens  of  Charleston 
that  the  people  were  greatly  excited,  that  not  another  man  or  any 
kind  of  stores  would  be  allowed  to  land  at  or.  for  these  forts,  and 
that  the  action  of  the  General  Government  in  putting  the  forts  in 

*  Anderson,  November  28,  1860,  to  Adjutant-General. 


WORK  PUSHED  ON  THE  FORTS.  £5 

a  more  defensive  state  would  be  regarded  as  an  act  of  "  aggres- 
sion," which  would  cause  an  attack  to  be  made  upon  them.  It 
was  openly  announced,  both  to  the  commanding  officer  and  to  his 
officers,  that  as  soon  as  the  State  seceded  a  demand  for  the 
delivery  of  the  forts  would  be  made,  and  if  resisted,  they  would 
be  taken.  Major  Anderson  was  greatly  impressed  by  these  state- 
ments, and  on  December  i  again  renewed  his  request  for  troops 
or  "  vessels  of  war,"  and  he  informed  the  Government  that  the 
question  to  be  decided — and  the  sooner  it  was  done  the  better — 
was,  whether,  when  South  Carolina  secedes,  these  forts  are  to  be 
surrendered  or  not.  Meantime,  all  of  the  able-bodied  men  in 
Charleston  were  enrolled,  military  companies  were  formed  every- 
where, and  drilling  went  on  by  night  and  day,  and  with  the  im- 
pression among  them  that  they  were  to  attack  Fort  Moultrie. 
Speeches  of  the  most  inflammatory  character  were  made,  in  view 
of  the  assembling  of  the  Convention  to  meet  on  the  xyth  of 
December,  and  the  determination  to  take  possession  of  the  fort,  at 
all  hazards,  increased  in  strength  from  day  to  day. 

Meantime,  the  work  on  the  forts  went  on  steadily  under  the 
engineer  officers  in  charge.  On  the  i2th  of  September,  the  same 
day  that  the  work  upon  Fort  Moultrie  was  begun,  the  engineer 
officer  in  charge  reported  to  his  chief  that  "  a  full  force  of  masons 
will  commence  work  on  two  casemate  arches  of  Fort  Sumter 
to-morrow  morning,"  and  on  the  i4th  of  September  he  requested 
that  the  several  appropriations  made  by  Congress  for  the  repairs 
and  construction  of  Forts  Sumter  and  Moultrie  be  placed  to  his 
credit.  This  was  at  once  done,  and  on  the  i8th  of  September  he  was 
informed  by  the  acting  chief  engineer  that  the  remittances  had 
been  applied  for,  and  that  he  would  be  charged  as  follows: 

For  Fort  Sumter $20,000 

For  Fort  Moultrie 8,500 

For  Preservation  of  the  site  of  Fort  Moultrie. ..     5,000 

It  was  under  these  specific  appropriations  of  Congress,  in  the 
ordinary  routine  of  departmental  business,  and  directed  by  the 
proper  officials,  that  work  upon  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charles- 
ton was  begun  and  continued  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1860.  It 
soon  became  manifest  that  assistance  to  the  engineer  in  charge  of 
the  works  was  necessary,  and  accordingly,  on  the  2ist  of  Septem- 
der,  First  Lieutenant  G.  W.  Snyder,  corps  of  engineers,  reported 
for  duty  under  special  orders  of  the  War  Department,  as  an  assist- 


66  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

ant  to  the  engineer  in  charge  of  the  works,  and  was  shortly  after- 
wards assigned  especially  to  the  work  on  Fort  Sumter.  An  able, 
active  and  sagacious  officer,  much  of  the  valuable  work  done  was 
the  result  of  his  personal  suggestion  and  superintendence.  Owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  efficient  white  labor  in  Charleston, 
fifty  laborers  were  brought  from  Baltimore  by  the  engineer  in 
charge  of  the  works.  During  September,  October  and  November 
the  work  on  the  forts  progressed  steadily  and  rapidly.  The  large 
mass  of  sand  in  front  of  the  scarp  wall  of  Fort  Moultrie  was 
removed,  and  a  permanent  glacis  formed,  flanking  arrangements 
built,  the  guard-house  pierced  with  loop-holes  for  musketry  and 
made  defensible,  the  construction  of  temporary  platforms  and  the 
placing  of  four  field-pieces  in  position  for  flank  defense,  as  well 
as  the  digging  of  a  wet  ditch  around  part  of  the  work.  One  hun- 
dred and  twenty  men  were  employed,  and  the  work  had  so  far  and 
so  satisfactorily  progressed  that  on  the  26  of  December  Major 
Anderson  reported  to  his  Government  that  the  work  on  Fort 
Moultrie  would  soon  be  finished,  and  that  even  his  small  com- 
mand would  be  enabled  to  make  such  a  resistance  that  the  South 
Carolina  authorities  would  hardly  venture  to  attack  him.*  On  the 
1 3th  cf  December  the  engineer  in  charge  reported  to  his  chief 
that,  "with  a  sufficient  war  garrison,  he  would  consider  Fort 
Moultrie  as  secure  against  any  attack  of  the  State."f 

Meantime,  the  work  upon  Fort  Sumter  was  steadily  progress- 
ing. The  casemate  arches  of  the  second  tier  were  constructed 
and  the  flagging  laid,  the  officers'  quarters  completed,  and  the 
whole  of  the  upper  tier  made  ready  for  the  armament,  and  on 
the  24th  of  November  Fort  Sumter,  in  the  opinion  of  Major  An- 
derson, was  ready  for  and  ought  to  receive  one  company. 

The  activity  at  the  forts  had  not  failed  to  draw  the  attention 
of  the  authorities  of  the  State  and  people  of  Charleston  to  them, 
and  it  was  the  conviction  of  every  officer  that  an  attack  was 
imminent.  The  greatest  irritation  existed  that  the  Government 
was  engaged  in  strengthening  them.  It  was  claimed  that  their 
guns  were  trained  upon  the  city,  and  in  speeches  made  to  the 
crowds  that  assembled  in  different  sections,  the  people  were  called 
upon  to  go  and  "  turn  those  guns  backward."  Effective  use  was 
made  of  this  in  the  pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  the  Conven- 

*  Anderson,  December  2,  1860,  to  Adjutant-General. 
f  Anderson,  page  26.     Engineer  Officer. 


DEMAND  ON  CAPTAIN  FOSTER.  67 

tion,  but  wiser  counsels  prevailed,  and  it  was  finally  determined, 
by  those  controlling  the  movement,  to  refrain  from  any  immedi- 
ate hostile  demonstration  against  the  forts,  provided  that  the  Gov- 
ernment at  Washington  would  agree  that  no  change  in  the  military 
status  should  be  made  until  at  least  the  Convention  should  meet 
and  act,  and  entrust  the  subject  to  commissioners  for  its  final 
adjustment  at  Washington.  It  was  at  this  time  that  an  applica- 
tion was  made  by  an  adjutant  of  a  South  Carolina  regiment  to  the 
engineer  officer  at  Moultrie  for  his  rolls,  as  it  was  desired  to  enroll 
the  men  upon  them  for  military  duty.  The  engineer  officer 
refused,  as  the  men  were  in  the  employment  and  pay  of  the 
United  States.  Major  Anderson,  to  whom  the  subject  had  been 
referred,  without  delay  asked  the  special  instructions  of  his 
Government.  "  What  shall  I  do,"  said  he,  "  if  the  State  authori- 
ties demand  from  Captain  Foster  men  whom  they  may  have 
enrolled  into  the  State's  service  ?"  Upon  the  i4th  of  December 
the  War  Department  replied  to  him,  that  if  the  State  authori- 
ties demand  any  of  Captain  Foster's  workmen,  on  the  ground  of 
their  being  enrolled  into  the  service  of  the  State,  and  the  subject 
is  referred  to  you,  you  will,  after  fully  satisfying  yourself  that  the 
men  are  subject  to  enrollment,  and  have  been  properly  enrolled, 
cause  them  to  be  delivered  up  or  suffer  them  to  depart."  This 
reply  was  not  satisfactory  to  Major  Anderson,  who,  upon  the 
1 8th  of  December,  informed  the  Department  that,  as  he  "  under- 
stood it,  the  South  Carolina  authorities  sought  to  enroll  as  a  part 
of  their  army  intended  to  work  against  the  forces  of  the  United 
States  men  who  are  employed  by  and  in  the  pay  of  that  Govern- 
ment, and  could  not,  as  I  (he)  conceived,  be  enrolled  by  South 
Carolina  under  the  laws  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  State  of 
South  Carolina."  *  To  this  no  answer  was  returned,  and  the  rolls 
were  not  furnished. 


Anderson  to  Adjutant-General,  November  28,  1860. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Letter  of  War  Department  declining  to  reinforce — Feeling  in  Charleston  that 
forts  would  be  taken — Anderson's  views — Letter  to  R.  N.  Gourdin  and 
to  his  rector  at  Trenton,  N.  J. — Sand-hills  around  the  Fort — Refusal  of  the 
Government  to  allow  him  to  reduce  them — Importance  of  Sumter  —  Instruc- 
tions of  War  Department  to  Anderson  by  Major  Buell — Substance  of  his 
interview  with  Anderson — Buell' s  order  given  to  Anderson — Criticism  on 
it  from  Buell  himself — Further  instructions  from  President  not  to  make  a 
desperate  defense— Force  of  engineer  workmen  sent  to  Pinckney— Muskets 
sent  to  Pinckney  and  Sumter  on  Foster's  requisition — Excitement  in  con- 
sequence— Action  in  Charleston  and  Washington — Muskets  returned. 

As  the  time  passed,  Major  Anderson  found  his  position  at 
Fort  Moultrie  growing  more  and  more  irksome.  The  threatening 
attitude  of  the  State  added  to  his  embarrassment,  and  he  reported 
to  his  Government  that  there  were  "  intelligent  and  efficient  men 
in  this  community  who,  by  intimate  intercourse  with  our  army 
affairs,  had  become  perfectly  acquainted  with  this  fort,  its  weak 
points,  and  the  best  means  of  attack."*  There  was  no  conceal- 
ment of  the  purposes  of  the  State,  as  in  private  conversation  and 
in  public  speeches  their  determination  to  take  the  forts  was  openly 
asserted,  and  the  officers  of  the  garrison  were  frankly  and  repeat- 
edly told  of  the  feeling  of  the  people  in  opposition,  as  already 
stated,  to  any  supplies  to  the  forts,  or  any  effort  to  place  them  in 
a  special  state  of  defense.  Drilling  went  on  nightly,  and  the 
streets  were  daily  enlivened  by  the  march  of  armed  bodies  of 
men,  whose  purpose  of  attack  upon  Fort  Moultrie  was  at  times 
loudly  proclaimed.! 

The  Government  had  declined  to  reinforce  the  forts,  and,  in 
response  to  the  urgent  applications  made  by  Major  Anderson, 
had  definitely  informed  him  of  its  purpose.  "  It  is  believed," 
said  the  Adjutant-General  upon  December  i,  "  from  information 
thought  to  be  reliable,  that  an  attack  will  not  be  made  on  your 
command,  and  the  Secretary  has  only  to  refer  to  his  conversation 


*  Anderson,  December  28,  1860. 
t  Personal  observation. 

68 


ANDERSON'S  REPORT. 


69 


with  you,  and  to  caution  you  that,  should  his  convictions  unhappily 
prove  untrue,  your  actions  must  be  such  as  to  be  free  from  the 
charge  of  initiating  a  collision.  If  attacked,  you  are  of  course 
expected  to  defend  the  trust  committed  to  you  to  the  best  of  your 
ability. 

"  The  increase  of  the  force  under  your  command,  however 
much  to  be  desired,  would,  the  Secretary  thinks,  judging  from 
the  recent  excitement  produced  on  account  of  an  anticipated 
increase,  as  mentioned  in  your  letter,  but  add  to  that  excitement 
and  might  lead  to  serious  results."* 

On  the  ist  of  December,  Major  Anderson  reported  to  his 
Government  that  the  people  were  "  making  ready  for  the  fight 
which  they  say  must  take  place,  and  insist  upon  our  not  doing 
anything."  And  he  recommended,  on  the  6th  of  December,  that 
in  view  of  the  approaching  action  of  the  State,  it  would  be  well  to 
discontinue  all  engineering  work  on  Fort  Moultrie,  except  what 
was  necessary  to  increase  its  strength,  and  "  apply  our  science  " 
to  making  every  means  available  to  resist  an  assault  ;  and  added 
that  if  Fort  Sumter  was  not  to  be  garrisoned,  "  the  guns  certainly 
ought  not  to  be  mounted,  as  they  might  be  turned  upon  him  in 
Moultrie."  "  Our  time  is  short  enough  for  what  we  have  to  do," 
said  he,  and  should  the  stores  or  reinforcements  not  arrive,  he 
feared  that  we  should  not  "  distinguish  ourselves  by  holding  out 
many  days."  But  little  hope  was  entertained  by  him  that  any 
settlement  of  the  difficulties  could  be  had  without  bloodshed, 
and  he  so  reported  to  his  Government.  His  sentiments  found 
expression  in  his  private  letters.  On  the  nth  of  December,  he 
wrote  to  a  friend  in  Charleston:! 

"  You  need  no  assurance  from  me  that,  although  I  am  exerting 
myself  to  make  this  little  work  as  strong  as  possible  and  to  put  my 
handful  of  men  in  the  highest  state  of  discipline,  no  one  will  do 
more  than  I  am  willing  to  do  to  keep  the  South  in  the  right  and  to 
avoid  the  shedding  of  blood.  You  may  be  somewhat  surprised  at 
the  sentiment  I  express,  being  a  soldier,  that  I  think  an  appeal  to 
arms  and  to  brute  force  is  unbecoming  the  age  in  which  we  live. 
Would  to  God  that  the  time  had  come  when  there  should  be  no 
war,  and  that  religion  and  peace  should  reign  throughout  the  world. 
"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Yours  very  respectfully, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON," 


Adjutant-General's  office,  December  I,  1860, 
Mr.  Robert  N.  GouroUn, 


7O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

To  the  rector  of  the  church  he  attended  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  he 
writes  more  fully  of  his  position,  and  of  the  difficulties  that  sur- 
rounded him  ;  and  in  view  of  his  subsequent  action,  his  statements 
become  important.  His  letter  was  as  follows  : 

"  FORT  MOULTRIE,  S.  C., 

"December  19,  1860. 
MY  DEAR  FRIEND, 

****** 

"  A  word  or  two  about  my  position,  and  so  on.  As  soon  as  I 
had  time  to  inspect  my  position  and  ascertain  the  feeling  and  tem- 
per of  the  people  here,  I  found  that  to  enable  me  to  comply  with 
my  orders  to  defend  this  fort,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that 
more  troops  and  ordnance  stores  must  be  sent.  And  I  recom- 
mended that  they  should  be  sent  at  once.  The  Government  has, 
as  you  see  it  stated,  declined  for  prudential  reasons  to  send  them, 
and  I  must  now  do  the  best  I  can.  This  fort  is  a  very  weak  one 
in  its  capacity  of  being  defended  ;  it  is  surrounded  by  houses  that 
I  cannot  burn  or  destroy  until  I  am  certain  that  I  am  to  be 
attacked,  and  I  shall  not  be  certain  of  it  until  the  South  Carolinians 
are  in  possession  ;  but  I  have  so  little  ammunition  that  I  can- 
not waste  it  in  destroying  houses.  And  again,  within  160  yards 
from  the  walls  are  piles  of  sand-hills,  some  of  them  higher  than 
our  fort,  which  will  give  the  best  and  safest  shelter  for  sharp- 
shooters, who  may  pick  off  in  a  short  time  our  band  of  sixty  men 
— all  we  have." 

Meantime,  his  position  at  Fort  Moultrie  became  more  and 
more  critical.  He  had  applied  to  the  War  Department  for  authority 
to  remove  the  low  range  of  sand-hills  so  near  to  and  which  com- 
manded his  work  on  the  north  side — the  approach  from  the  land. 
These  hills,  if  occupied  by  sharpshooters,  would  have  rendered 
the  service  of  the  guns  on  that  side  impossible.  His  application 
was  denied.  "  If  deemed  essential,"  said  the  Secretary  of  War, 
through  the  Adjutant-General,  on  the  i4th  of  December,  "  to  the 
more  perfect  defense  of  the  work,  the  levelling  of  the  sand-hills, 
which  command  the  fort,  could  not  under  ordinary  circumstances 
be  considered  as  initiating  a  collision."  But  the  delicate  question 
of  its  bearing  on  the  popular  mind  in  its  present  excited  state 
demands  the  coolest  and  wisest  judgment.  The  fact  of  the 
sand-hills  being  private  property  and  having  houses  upon  them, 
decided  the  question  in  the  negative;  the  houses  could  be  destroyed 


MAJOR  ANDERSON'S  IMPRESSION  OF  SUMTER.         J  \ 

at  any  moment,  but,  being  levelled  in  anticipation  of  an  attack, 
"might  betray  distrust  and  prematurely  bring  on  a  collision." 
Major  Anderson  at  once  replied — on  the  i8th  of  December — that 
there  were  no  houses  built  upon  the  sand-hills,  they  were  between 
him  and  them,  but  that  he  would  not  remove  them  until  convinced 
that  an  attack  would  be  made  upon  him;  and  he  at  the  same 
time  informed  the  Department  that  these  sand-hills  and  the 
houses  surrounding  the  fort  would  afford  safe  shelter  for  sharp- 
shooters, who  might  pick  off  the  greater  part  of  his  command,  if 
they  stood  to  their  guns,  in  a  few  hours.  His  conference  with 
Colonel  Huger  and  with  the  mayor  of  the  city  and  promi- 
nent citizens,  convinced  him  that,  so  far  as  their  influence  or 
power  extended,  no  unauthorized  attack  would  be  made  upon 
him,  but  all  were  equally  decided  that  the  forts  must  be  theirs 
after  the  State  had  passed  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  and  its 
Commissioners  had  gone  to  Washington. 

Meantime,  the  attention  of  the  State  authorities  and  the 
people  had  been  turned  more  especially  to  Fort  Sumter.  They 
were  not  slow  to  realize  that,  well  provisioned  and  manned,  its 
possession  would  give  the  control  of  the  harbor  to  the  force 
occupying  it.  So  much  was  Major  Anderson  impressed  with  this 
belief  that  he  communicated  the  fact  to  his  Government,  and 
recommended  that  it  might  be  advisable  and  prudent  to  cause 
all  of  the  ammunition,  except  what  was  needed  for  the  immediate 
defense  of  the  forts,  to  be  destroyed  or  rendered  unserviceable. 
"  Fort  Sumter,"  said  he,  "  is  a  tempting  prize,  the  value  of  which 
is  well  known  to  the  Charlestonians,  and  once  in  their  possession, 
with  its  ammunition  and  armament  and  walls  uninjured,  and  gar- 
risoned properly,  it  would  set  our  navy  at  defiance,  compel  me  to 
abandon  this  work,  and  give  them  perfect  command  of  this  harbor." 
And  thus,  in  almost  daily  communication,  Major  Anderson 
reported  to  the  Government  not  only  the  details  of  his  position  in 
their  military  relations,  but  his  anxieties  and  well-founded  appre- 
hensions, and  he  was  persistent  in  his  applications  for  instructions 
that  should  fully  guide  him  in  the  extraordinary  circumstances 
in  which  he  was  placed. 

It  was  impossible  to  leave  him  longer  without  such  instruc- 
tions, and  accordingly  Major  Don  Carlos  Buell,  a  discreet  and  able 
officer  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Department,  was  selected  by 
the  War  Department  to  proceed  to  Charleston  Harbor  and  convey 


72  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  Major  Anderson  instructions,  which  were  given  to  Major  Buell 
verbally  by  the  Secretary  of  War  at  his  residence  in  Washington. 
The  subject  had  been  discussed  in  the  Cabinet,  but  without 
deciding  upon  the  character  of  the  instructions,  it  was  left  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  to  transmit  such  as  he  deemed  necessary. 
Sending  for  Major  Buell  on  the  ;thof  December,  the  Secretary 
informed  him  that  he  desired  him  to  go  to  Charleston  to  inspect 
Major  Anderson's  situation  and  communicate  instructions  to  him. 
These  instructions  were  "  explanatory  of  the  policy  to  be  obser- 
ved, rather  than  absolute  or  explicit  with  reference  to  the  things 
to  be  done."*  Nor  did  they  assume  the  form  of  orders.  "  The 
duty  of  maintaining  defensively  the  authority  of  the  Government 
was  distinctly  affirmed."  The  critical  condition  of  affairs  at 
Charleston,  the  question  of  reinforcing  Major  Anderson,  and  the 
importance  of  allaying  the  public  excitement  and  avoiding  a  col- 
lision," were  alluded  to  in  the  conversation,  and  the  impression 
produced  upon  the  mind  of  Major  Buell  was  that,  whether  from 
prudential  reasons  or  because  of  the  difficulty  of  providing  for 
every  contingency  in  the  defensive  attitude  required  of  Major 
Anderson,  any  committal  to  writing  "was  purposely  avoided  by 
the  Secretary."  The  Secretary  spoke  of  his  own  authority  only, 
and  made  no  allusions  to  the  President,  and  no  memorandum  was 
made  by  Major  Buell  of  the  conversation  until  the  morning  of 
the  nth  of  December,  at  Major  Anderson's  headquarters  at  Fort 
Moultrie,  when  he  had  completed  the  object  of  his  visit,  including 
an  inspection  of  Fort  Sumter,  and  was  about  to  start  upon  his  return. 
Major  Buell  had  passed  the  night  not  only  in  the  same  quarters 
with  Major  Anderson,  but  in  the  same  room  with  him.  In  the 
morning  the  verbal  instructions  he  had  given,  were  reduced  to 
writing  at  the  voluntary  offer  of  Major  Buell  himself.  That 
memorandum  was  entirely  in  his  own  language.  It  was  not,  nor 
did  it  profess  to  be,  a  literal  record  of  the  Secretary's  communica- 
tion to  him,  but  was  his  interpretation  of  the  Secretary's  inten- 
tions, adapted  to  the  condition  of  things  as  the  messenger  found 
them,  and  of  which  the  Secretary  himself  could  have  had  no 
exact  knowledge.  From  the  manner  in  which  the  instructions 
had  been  communicated  to  Major  Buell,  it  might  have  been 
inferred  that  they  were  not  to  be  conveyed  by  him  in  any  other 


*  Major  BuelPs  letter  to  author, 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO  MAJOR  ANDERSON.  73 

w?.y;  but,  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  occasion,  he  said 
to  Major  Anderson,  after  discussing  with  him  suggestively  the 
application  of  them  to  particular  questions,  "You  ought  to  have 
written  evidence  of  these  instructions;"  and  without  waiting  for 
any  reply  he  immediately  "  committed  them  for  the  first  time  to 
paper."  They  were  as  follows: 

"  Memorandum  of  verbal  instructions  to  Major  Anderson, 
First  Artillery,  commanding  Fort  Moultrie,  South  Carolina. 

"  You  are  aware  of  the  great  anxiety  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
that  a  collision  of  the  troops  with  the  people  of  this  State  shall 
be  avoided,  and  of  his  studied  determination  to  pursue  a  course 
with  reference  to  the  military  force  and  forts  in  this  harbor  which 
shall  guard  against  such  collision.  He  has,  therefore,  carefully 
abstained  from  increasing  the  force  at  this  point,  or  taking  any 
measures  which  might  add  to  the  present  excited  state  of  the 
public  mind,  or  which  would  throw  any  doubt  on  the  confidence 
he  feels  that  South  Carolina  will  not  attempt  by  violence  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  public  works  or  interfere  with  their  occupancy. 
But  as  the  counsel  and  acts  of  rash  and  impulsive  persons  may 
possibly  disappoint  these  expectations  of  the  Government,  he 
deems  it  proper  that  you  should  be  prepared  with  instructions  to 
meet  so  unhappy  a  contingency.  He  has,  therefore,  directed  me 
verbally  to  give  you  such  instructions. 

"  You  are  carefully  to  avoid  every  act  which  would  needlessly 
tend  to  provoke  aggression;  and  for  that  reason  you  are  not, 
without  evident  and  imminent  necessity,  to  take  up  any  position 
which  could  be  construed  into  the  assumption  of  a  hostile  attitude. 
But  you  are  to  hold  possession  of  the  forts  in  this  harbor,  and  if 
attacked  you  are  to  defend  yourself  to  the  last  extremity.  The 
smallness  of  your  force  will  not  permit  you,  perhaps,  to  occupy 
more  than  one  of  the  three  forts,  but  an  attack  on  or  an  attempt 
to  take  possession  of  any  one  of  them  will  be  regarded  as  an  act 
of  hostility,  and  you  may  then  put  your  command  into  either  of 
them  which  you  may  deem  most  proper,  to  increase  its  power  of 
resistance.  You  are  also  authorized  to  take  similar  steps  when- 
ever you  have  tangible  evidence  of  a  design  to  proceed  to  a 
hostile  act. 

(Signed.)  "  D.  C.  BUELL, 

"  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

"Fort  Moultrie,  South  Carolina,  December  n,  1860." 

This  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  original  instructions  now  on  file 
in  the  War  Department,  in  the  handwriting  of  Major  Buell,  and 
there  is  no  other  record  of  the  instructions  in  the  archives  of 
the  Government.  In  furnishing  a  copy  of  them  to  the  President 


74  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 

on  the  2ist  of   December,  the  Secretary  of  War  appended  the 
following: 

"This  is  in  conformity  to  my  instructions  to  Major  Buell." 
(Signed.)  "  JOHN  B.  FLOYD, 

"  Secretary  of  War." 

It  could  not  have  been  important,  and  may  have  been  entirely 
accidental,  but  it  is  nevertheless  to  be  observed  that  the  word 
defensive,  not  in  the  original,  appears  in  the  last  sentence  of  the 
copy  furnished  to  the  President. 

In  handing  the  paper  to  Major  Anderson,  Major  Buell  said, 
"  This  is  all  I  am  authorized  to  say  to  you,  but  my  personal 
advice  is,  that  you  do  not  allow  the  opportunity  to  escape  you." 

Anderson  understood  his  remark  only  as  "  a  friendly  encour- 
agement," while  there  was  still  much  in  the  nature  of  his  orders 
and  the  attitude  of  the  Government  to  embarrass  him. 

Major  Buell  had  remained  over  Sunday  in  Charleston,  and 
became  impressed  with  the  feeling  manifested.  There  was  no 
noisy  demonstration,  but  "  there  was  everywhere  evidence,"  he 
thought,  "  of  a  settled  purpose."  The  determination  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  forts  was  with  them  as  fixed  as  the  act  of  seces- 
sion itself. 

All  the  indications  and  all  the  information  he  could  obtain 
convinced  him  "  that  Fort  Sumter  would  be  seized,  with  or  with- 
out the  State  authorities,  unless  the  Government  should  occupy 
it,"  and  these  considerations  largely  influenced  him  in  his  inter- 
pretation of  the  instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  which 
were  expressed  in  the  memorandum  order. 

He  thought,  too,  that  "it was  evident  Fort  Moultrie  would  any 
day  be  liable  to  assault  and  reduction  unless  Sumter  was  occupied 
by  a  Government  garrison,"  and  he  thought  that  Anderson  "  fully 
realized  the  fact." 

After  some  suggestions  to  Anderson,  "all  locking  to  the  con- 
templated transfer  of  his  command,"  Major  Buell  returned  at 
once  to  Washington  with  a  copy  of  the  memorandum  he  had 
given  to  him.  His  report  to  the  Secretary  was  verbal,  but  he 
left  with  the  chief  clerk,  Mr.  W.  R.  Drinkard,  who  enjoyed  con- 
fidential relations  with  the  Secretary,  a  copy  of  the  memorandum 
for  the  files  of  the  War  Department.  Whether  the  Secretary  ever 
read  it  until  it  was  called  for  by  the  President  is  questionable. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  INSTRUCTIONS.  75 

Anderson  reported  the  visit  of  Major  Buell  and  his  instructions 
to  him,  but  they  were  not  made  known  to  the  President  until  the 
2ist  of  the  same  month.  The  President  was  dissatisfied  with 
that  part  of  the  instructions  which  directed  Anderson  to  defend 
himself  to  "  the  last  extremity,"  and  a  special  messenger  was 
sent  with  a  communication  to  Major  Anderson,  in  which  he  was 
informed  that  it  was  not  the  President's  intention  that  he  should 
make  a  useless  sacrifice  of  his  own  life  or  that  of  his  men,  upon 
a  mere  point  of  honor.  He  was  to  exercise  a  sound  military  dis- 
cretion, and  if  he  was  attacked  by  a  greatly  superior  force  it  would 
be  his  duty  to  yield  to  necessity  and  make  the  best  terms  in  his 
power.*  The  sending  of  Major  Buell  and  the  object  of  his  mis- 
sion were  known  in  Washington,  and  on  the  i3th  of  December 
the  principal  newspaper  of  Charleston  published,  from  its  corre- 
spondent in  Washington,  the  following  despatch  : 

"  Major  Buell  and  several  other  officers  of  the  army  have  been 
sent  to  Fort  Moultrie  to  look  after  the  forts.  Keep  a  sharp  look- 
out upon  them.  They  were  sent  for  no  good  to  us.  See  that 
they  make  no  change  in  the  distribution  of  soldiers,  so  as  to  put 
them  all  in  Fort  Sumter  ;  that  would  be  dangerous  to  us." 

The  instructions  delivered  by  Major  Buell  were  of  the  first  im- 
portance, both  as  a  warrant  to  Major  Anderson  in  the  course  he  sub- 
sequently pursued,  as  well  as  in  enabling  the  President  to  support 
him  in  that  course. 

Meantime,  the  difficulties  of  Anderson's  position  at  Fort 
Moultrie  increased  daily.  His  pressing  request  of  the  23d  of 
November,  to  occupy  Castle  Pinckney  with  laborers  in  case  the 
Government  declined  to  send  troops  for  that  purpose,  had  been 
acceded  to  by  the  War  Department  on  the  2  8th  of  that  month, 
and  an  additional  officer,  Second  Lieutenant  R.  K.  Meade,  of  the 
Corps  of  Engineers,  detailed  as  an  assistant  to  take  charge.  But 
since  his  letter  of  the  23d  of  November,  Major  Anderson  had 
modified  his  views,  and  on  December  i,  had  reported  to  the 
War  Department  that  it  was  probable  that,  in  the  highly  excited 
state  of  the  people,  the  sending  of  the  detachment  of  engineer 
lab&rers  to  Castle  Pinckney  "  may  bring  on  that  collision  which 
we  are  so  anxious  to  avoid."  He  would  consult  the  engineer 
officer  in  charge,  and  if  convinced  that  it  would  lead  to  that  result, 

*Floyd  to  Anderson,  December  21,  1860. 


76  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

he  would  assume  the  responsibility,  and  suspend  the  execution  of 
the  plan.  Satisfying  himself  that  no  opposition  would  be  made, 
the  measure  was  allowed  to  proceed  ;  and  considering  that  this 
detachment  was  in  reality  an  advance  guard  for  his  command,  he 
assigned  First  Lieutenant  Jefferson  C.  Davis  to  occupy  the  work 
until  the  engineer  officer  should  arrive,  and  work  was  begun  on 
Castle  Pinckney  on  the  3d  of  December.  It  was  hoped  and 
believed  by  Major  Anderson  and  his  engineer  that  this  force,  con- 
sisting of  four  mechanics  and  thirty  laborers,  could  be  made 
available  for  the  active  defense  of  the  work  in  default  of  troops.  It 
had  so  been  presumed  in  the  letter  of  Major  Anderson  of  the 
28th  of  November,  and  in  accordance  with  this  view  a  request 
was  made  by  the  engineer  in  charge,  on  the  zd  of  December,  to 
the  War  Department,  through  the  chief  of  this  corps,  that  four 
boxes  of  muskets,  with  cartridge-boxes  and  belts,  be  issued  to  him, 
as  he  required  fifty  muskets  for  Fort  Sumter  and  fifty  for  Castle 
Pinckney.  Colonel  Huger,who  was  then  in  Charleston,and  had  com- 
mand of  the  arsenal,  declined  to  recommend  their  issue,  even  tem- 
porarily, without  orders  from  the  War  Department,  but  upon 
consultation  with  Captain  Foster  and  Major  Anderson  it  was 
agreed  that  it  was  best  to  write  for  the  requisite  authority  at  once. 
The  application  was  made,  and  laid  before  the  Secretary  of  War 
on  the  6th  of  December.  It  was  returned  by  the  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral on  the  7th,  with  the  endorsement  that  action  "  was  deferred 
for  the  present,"  and  reference  made  to  a  recent  letter  of  Captain 
Foster  of  the  4th  of  December.  In  this  letter  Captain  Foster 
had  stated  that  in  consequence  of  "  recent  developments  "  of  the 
state  of  feeling  among  his  men,  he  did  not  "judge  it  proper  to 
give  them  any  military  instruction  or  to  place  arms  in  their  hands." 
This  applied  more  especially  to  Fort  Sumter,  where  his  overseer 
had  ascertained  that  his  men  were  disinclined  to  resist  the  citizen 
soldiers  of  the  State,  although  willing  to  resist  a  mob  ;  and  he 
reported  that  the  feeling  in  regard  to  secession  was  so  strong  that 
almost  all  were  entirely  influenced  by  it. 

On  the  6th  of  December  Major  Anderson  reported  that  he 
feared  the  same  might  be  anticipated  from  the  force  in  Castle 
Pinckney.  But  as  his  confidence  in  his  laboring  force  increased, 
and  his  conviction  that  without  arms  he  was  at  the  mercy  of  a  mob 
became  real,  Captain  Foster  proceeded  to  the  arsenal  on  the  iyth 
of  December,  "  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  two  gins  which  were 


REMOVAL  OFARMS—EXCHEMENT. 


77 


required  at  Fort  Sumter,"  and  to  the  transmission  "of  which  there 
was  no  objection.  While  there,  he  arranged  with  the  military  store- 
keeper that  the  old  order  of  the  Ordnance  Department  of  Novem- 
ber i,  allowing  him  forty  muskets,  should  be  complied  with. 
This  order  had  been  suspended  at  the  time,  on  account  of  the 
objection  of  Colonel  Gardiner,  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort 
Moultrie,  as  its  execution  would  appear  like  arming  the  employees. 
It  was  suspended  only,  and  they  were  now  sent  to  Captain  Foster, 
and  placed  in  the  magazines  of  Fort  Sumter  and  Castle  Pinckney 
on  the  1 7th  of  December.  The  act  occasioned  an  excitement  that 
ought  to  have  been  foreseen.  Early  on  the  following  morning  the 
military  storekeeper  addressed  a  note  to  Captain  Foster,  stat- 
ing that  the  shipment  of  the  forty  muskets  had  caused  "  intense 
excitement."  A  military  official  of  the  State  had  called  upon  him 
and  assured  him  that  some  "violent  demonstration"  was  certain, 
unless  the  excitement  could  be  allayed,  and  he  also  informed  him 
that  Colonel  Huger  had  assured  the  Governor  of  the  State  that  no 
arms  should  be  removed.  He  had  pledged  his  word  that  the  muskets 
should  be  returned  at  once,  and  he  asks  that  this  request  be  com- 
plied with.  Captain  Foster  declined  to  return  the  arms,  stating 
that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  pledge  of  Colonel  Huger  to  the 
Governor,  but  was  willing  to  refer  the  matter  to  Washington. 

Meantime,  a  telegram  had  been  sent  from  Charleston  to  the 
Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  on  the  ipth  of  December,  informing 
him  of  the  removal  of  the  forty  muskets  from  the  arsenal  in 
Charleston  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  that  great  excitement  prevailed. 
And  he  was  requested  to  ask  the  Secretary  of  War  to  have  the 
arms  instantly  returned,  or  a  collision  might  occur  at  any  moment; 
that  this  act,  not  instantly  countermanded  by  telegraph,  would  be 
decisive,  and  that  not  a  moment  should  be  lost.  An  immediate 
reply  also  should  be  sent. 

"In  the  meantime,"  says  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  "the 
difficulties  were  increasing.  On  the  igth  of  December  I  received 
the  following  telegram  : 

"  W.  H.  TRESCOT,  late  Ass't  Sec'y  of  State,  Charleston. 

"  Captain  Foster  yesterday  removed  forty  muskets  from  the 
arsenal  in  Charleston  to  Fort  Moultrie;  great  excitement  prevails; 
telegraph  to  have  the  arms  instantly  returned,  or  a  collision  may 
occur  at  any  moment.  Three  days  will  determine,  in  conven- 
tion, peace  or  war,  and  this  act,  not  instantly  countermanded  by 


78  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

telegraph,  will' be  decisive.      Not  a  moment's  time  should  be  lost. 
Telegraph  immediately  to  me." 

The  telegram  reached  the  Assistant  Secretary  at  a  late  hour  of 
the  night  of  the  ipth.  He  at  once  sought  the  Secretary  of  War 
at  his  residence.  He  was  ill,  but  he  gave  immediate  orders  to  the 
chief  clerk  of  his  department  to  telegraph,  in  his  name,  to  Captain 
Foster,  that  if  he  had  removed  any  arms,  to  return  them  instantly, 
and  to  answer  by  telegraph.  Major  Anderson,  who  had  upon  the 
1 8th  advised  Captain  Foster  to  return  the  arms,  was  at  the  same 
time  informed  by  the  Secretary,  by  telegram  of  like  date,  of  his 
order  to  Captain  Foster,  and  the  telegraph  office  was  kept  open 
all  night  for  the  reply.  The  arms  were  returned  at  once  upon  the 
receipt  of  the  Secretary's  order,  and  the  following  telegram  was 
received  by  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  : 

"  The  Governor  says  he  is  glad  of  your  despatch,  for  otherwise 
there  would  have  been  imminent  danger.  Earnestly  urge  that 
there  be  no  transfer  of  troops  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter, 
and  inform  the  Secretary  of  War. 

(Signed.)  "J.  JOHNSTON  PETTIGREW, 

"  Aide-de-Camp." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

F.  W.  Pickens  elected  Governor  of  South  Carolina— His  character  and  history 
— Sends  Major  D.  H.  Hamilton,  confidential  messenger,  to  the  President 
— His  letter  demanding  Fort  Sum ter— Interview  with  President — Assistant 
Secretary  of  State  interferes  —Consults  Senators  Davis  and  Slidell — Letter 
withdrawn — President  sends  General  Cushing  to  Governor  Pickens — Fail- 
ure of  his  mission— Governor  establishes  the  guard-boat  between  Moultrie 
and  Sumter— His  orders — Press  of  the  State  urge  the  seizure  of  the  forts. 

UPON  the  nth  of  December,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions 
of  her  constitution,  the  Legislature  of  South  Carolina  proceeded 
to  the  election  of  a  Governor  in  place  of  W.  H.  Gist,  whose  term 
of  office  was  about  to  expire.  Upon  the  seventh  ballot  on  the  i4th 
of  December,  Francis  W.  Pickens,  a  distinguished  citizen  of  the 
State,  was  declared  to  be  the  choice  of  the  Legislature.  While 
engaged  in  the  peaceful  pursuit  of  agriculture  and  away  from  the 
strife  of  public  political  life,  he  had  been  called  by  the  President 
to  represent  the  country  at  the  Court  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  had 
returned  at  a  moment  when  a  crisis  in  political  affairs  seemed  to 
be  imminent.  A  student  of  classical  literature,  of  varied  and 
extensive  information,  he  had  served  his  State  in  various  capaci- 
ties, and  he  was  now,  as  he  had  ever  been,  in  devoted  sympathy 
with  her  in  all  that  she  had  done,  and  in  all  that  she  proposed  to 
do.  He  was  identified  with  no  clique  nor  trammelled  by  partisan 
obligation.  His  social  foundations  were  deeply  laid,  and  this  was,  to 
his  fellows,  a  commendation  sure  and  strong.  For  three  generations 
his  family  name  had  held  conspicuous  place,  and  in  the  struggle 
of  the  Revolution  and  afterward  in  high  civil  and  military  position, 
his  immediate  ancestors  had  illustrated  it  by  heroic  deeds  that 
still  live  in  history.  An  earnest  disciple  of  the  school  of  Calhoun, 
he  had  become  the  mouth-piece  of  its  creed  and  the  willing  apostle 
of  its  doctrines.  While  a  Member  of  Congress,  he  had,  like  his 
great  exemplar,  opposed  the  reception  of  petitions  for  the  abolition 
of  slavery,  and  in  a  powerful  speech  against  the  constitutional 
power  of  the  Government  to  abolish  slavery  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  had  given  utterance  to  sentiments  that  proved  to  be 
strangely  prophetic. 

79 


8O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

He  advocated  the  independence  of  Texas  in  opposition  to  Mc- 
Duffie,  and  greatly  impressed  the  people  by  a  powerful  speech  upon 
the  relation  of  the  Government  to  banks  and  banking.  He  had 
been  a  member  of  the  State  Senate,  and  also  of  the  Nashville  Con- 
vention of  1850,  and,  as  a  member  of  the  State  Convention  of  1852, 
he  had  drawn  up  the  ordinance  asserting  the  right  of  secession 

Presidents  Tyler  and  Polk  had  each  tendered  to  him  a  For- 
eign Mission,  the  former  to  France,  and  the  latter  to  England, 
which  he  had  declined.  When,  however,  that  to  St.  Petersburg 
was  offered  to  him  by  President  Buchanan,  he  accepted  it,  and  had 
now  returned  from  Russia  to  share  the  fortunes  of  his  State. 

Hospitable,  generous,  kind  by  nature,  he  had  yet  not  at  all 
the  genius  of  government,  and  when  called  to  a  position  which 
made  him  the  conspicuous  figure  at  the  outbreak  of  the  great 
revolution,  and  which  required  the  exercise  of  great  qualities,  he 
failed  to  respond  to  the  emergency.  Desirous  at  all  times  of  the 
credit  to  follow  from  conspicuous  acts  in  the  service  of  his  State, 
he  nevertheless  shrank  from  the  responsibility  so  inseparable  to 
its  attainment. 

His  enthusiasm  often  led  him  into  error,  and  he  allowed  his 
better  judgment  to  be  overcome  "  by  the  glow  of  the  fight."  He 
had  a  certain  ability,  not  unmixed  with  shrewdness,  that  enabled 
him  at  times  to  maintain  himself  in  default  of  stronger  qualities. 
His  zeal  was  better  and  stronger  than  his  discretion. 

Of  a  character  so  contradictory  in  its  nature  and  so  incon- 
sistent in  its  purpose  it  is  difficult  to  form  an  estimate.  Influ- 
enced as  he  was  by  a  strong  will,  and  without  clear  perceptions, 
it  was  hardly  possible  to  trace  the  relations  between  his  declared 
purposes  and  the  course  he  pursued  under  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  his  position;  not  upon  a  review  of  his  career  do  we  find 
in  him  the  characteristics  to  be  looked  for  in  a  chosen  political 
leader  in  such  a  crisis. 

His  long  absence  and  his  separation  from  the.  politics  of  bis 
State  had  induced  a  conservative  feeling  which  was  not  in  har- 
mony with  that  of  the  leaders.  He  had  been  influenced  too  by 
the  views  of  the  President,  whom  he  had  consulted  after  his 
return.  He  was  in  favor  of  a  postponement  of  any  call  for  a 
convention  until  the  administration  of  Mr.  Buchanan  should  have 
closed.  He  was  believed  to  be  moderate  in  his  views,  and  it  was 
from  this,  in  connection  with  his  services  and  prominent  position, 


MAJOR  HAMILTON'S  MISSION.  gj 

that  he  was  suggested  by  some  as  a  candidate  for  the  Governor- 
ship of  the  State.  But  many,  and  especially  those  holding 
extreme  views,  were  opposed  to  him,  and  among  them  some  of  his 
immediate  family  connection.  Repeated  interviews  were  held 
with  him,  when  he  finally  became  convinced  that  unless  he  put 
himself  at  once  in  line  with  the  advanced  sentiments  and  in  favor 
of  immediate  action  and  the  secession  of  his  State,  he  could  not 
be  nominated.  A  public  meeting,  to  be  held  in  Columbia,  was 
arranged,  where  he  was  to  announce  his  views  upon  immediate 
State  action.  At  this  meeting,  he  took  such  advanced  ground  as 
to  leave  no  illusion  as  to  his  sentiments  and  wishes.  He  placed 
himself  in  line  with  the  ultra  men  of  his  State  and  maintained 
himself  in  advance  of  the  sentiment  until  the  end. 

Almost  from  the  moment  that  he  became  the  chief  executive 
of  South  Carolina,  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  common- 
wealth that,  so  far  as  its  own  act  could  accomplish  it,  was  free  and 
independent. 

No  provision  had  been  made,  either  by  the  Convention  or  by 
the  Legislature,  for  the  new  and  extraordinary  condition  of 
things  after  the  passage  of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession.  Every 
detail  required  the  personal  decision  of  the  executive,  and  the 
whole  was  greatly  complicated  by  the  constant  presence  of  mili- 
tary questions  demanding  immediate  decision  and  action,  and 
upon  the  solution  of  which  depended  the  greatest  consequences, 
of  good  or  evil,  to  the  State. 

On  the  1 7th  of  December,  the  day  after  he  was  inaugurated, 
he  despatched  a  confidential  agent  to  the  President  demanding 
possession  of  Fort  Sumter.  The  agent  was  Major  D.  H. 
Hamilton,  First  Regiment,  S.  C.  V.  This  official  had  been  the 
United  States  Marshal,  and  had  just  resigned  his  office.  The 
letter  entrusted  to  him  was  marked  "  strictly  confidential."  Its 
tone  was  firm  and  courteous.  It  was  as  follows  : 

"  [STRICTLY  CONFIDENTIAL.]* 

"COLUMBIA,  December  17,  1860. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  With  a  sincere  desire  to  prevent  a  collision 
of  force,  I  have  thought  proper  to  address  you  directly  and  truth- 
fully on  points  of  deep  and  immediate  interest. 

"I  am  authentically  informed  that  the  forts  in   Charleston 


*  Correspondence  No.    I.      Governor   Pickens  to    President    Buchanan. 
The  Record  of  Fort  Sumter.     Columbia,  S.  C.,  1862. 


82  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

harbor  are  now  being  thoroughly  prepared  to  turn,  with  effect, 
their  guns  upon  the  interior  and  the  city. 

"Jurisdiction  was  ceded  by  this  State  expressly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  external  defense  from  foreign  invasion,  and  not  with  any 
view  they  should  be  turned  upon  the  State. 

"  In  an  ordinary  case  of  mob  rebellion,  perhaps  it  might  be 
proper  to  prepare  them  for  sudden  outbreak.  But  when  the  people 
of  the  State,  in  sovereign  convention  assembled,  determine  to 
resume  their  original  powers  of  separate  and  independent  sover- 
eignty, the  whole  question  is  changed,  and  it  is  no  longer  an  act 
of  rebellion. 

"  I,  therefore,  most  respectfully  urge  that  all  work  on  the  forts 
be  put  a  stop  to  for  the  present,  and  that  no  more  force  may  be 
ordered  there. 

"  The  regular  Convention  of  the  people  of  the  State  of  South 
Carolina,  legally  and  properly  called,  under  our  constitution,  is 
now  in  session,  deliberating  upon  the  gravest  and  most  moment- 
ous questions,  and  the  excitement  of  the  great  masses  of  the 
people  is  great,  under  a  sense  of  deep  wrongs  and  a  profound 
necessity  of  doing  something  to  preserve  the  peace  and  safety  of 
the  State. 

"  To  spare  the  effusion  of  blood,  which  no  human  power  may 
be  able  to  prevent,  I  earnestly  beg  your  immediate  consideration 
of  all  the  points  I  call  your  attention  to.  It  is  not  improbable 
that,  under  orders  from  the  commandant,  or,  perhaps,  from  the 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  the  alteration  and  defenses  of 
those  posts  are  progressing  without  the  knowledge  of  yourself  or 
the  Secretary  of  War. 

"  The  arsenal  in  the  city  of  Charleston,  with  the  public  arms, 
I  am  informed,  was  turned  over,  very  properly,  to  the  keeping  and 
defense  of  the  State  force  at  the  urgent  request  of  the  Governor 
of  South  Carolina.  I  would  most  respectfully,  and  from  a  sincere 
devotion  to  the  public  peace,  request  that  you  would  allow  me  to 
send  a  small  force,  not  exceeding  twenty-five  men  and  an  officef, 
to  take  possession  of  Fort  Sumter  immediately,  in  order  to  give 
a  feeling  of  safety  to  the  community.  There  are  no  United 
States  troops  in  that  fort  whatever,  or  perhaps  only  four  or  five  at 
present,  besides  some  additional  workmen  or  laborers,  lately 
employed  to  put  the  guns  in  order. 

"If  Fort  Sumter  could  be  given  to  me  as  Governor,  under  a 
permission  similar  to  that  by  which  the  Governor  was  permitted 
to  keep  the  arsenal,  with  the  United  States  arms,  in  the  city  of 
Charleston,  then  I  think  the  public  mind  would  be  quieted  under 
a  feeling  of  safety,  and  as  the  Convention  is  now  in  full  authority, 
it  strikes  me  that  it  could  be  done  with  perfect  propriety.  I  need 
not  go  into  particulars,  for  urgent  reasons  will  force  themselves 
readily  upon  your  consideration.  If  something  of  the  kind  be 
not  done,  I  cannot  answer  for  the  consequences. 


ITS  RESULT.  83 

"  I  send  this  by  a  private  and  confidential  gentleman,  who  is 
authorized   to   confer  with    Mr.   Trescot   fully,   and   to  receive 
through  him  any  answer  you  may  think  proper  to  give  to  this. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  most  respectfully, 

(Signed.)  "Yours  truly, 

*  "  F.  W.  PICKENS. 

"  To  the  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES." 

By  the  same  messenger  Governor  Pickens  addressed  a  letter 
to  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  whose  resignation  had  not  yet 
been  accepted,  requesting  him  to  attend  to  his  messenger,  to  go 
with  him  to  the  President,  and  see  that  he  was  "  certainly  able"  to 
deliver  the  letter  entrusted  to  him.  One  day  was  allowed  by  the 
Governor  for  the  stay  of  his  messenger,  and,  if  he  thought  it  neces- 
sary, the  Assistant  Secretary  might  bring  the  answer  himself.  It 
was  no  doubt  supposed  by  the  Governor  that  the  resignation  of 
the  Assistant  Secretary,  which  he  knew  had  been  tendered,  had 
been  accepted,  and  that  he  was  acting  then,  as  he  subsequently 
did  act,  as  the  agent  of  the  State. 

Major  Hamilton  proceeded  with  the  utmost  haste  to  Washing- 
ton, and  upon  the  zoth  of  December  procured  an  interview  with 
the  President  through  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  who  thus 
relates  what  took  place.  He  says  : 

"The  communication  brought  by  Colonel  Hamilton  for  the 
President  was  sealed,  but  I  had  received  notice  of  this  extraordi- 
nary missive  in  a  confidential  letter  by  the  previous  mail,  not,  how- 
ever, from  the  Governor.  I  saw  the  President,  and  returned  to 
him  with  Colonel  Hamilton  at  the  hour  he  appointed.  The  Presi- 
dent received  us  in  the  library,  read  the  letter,  and  asked  Colonel 
Hamilton  when  he  expected  to  return.  He  replied,  the  next  morn- 
ing. The  President  said  it  was  impossible  to  give  him  the  answer 
by  that  time — could  he  not  wait  longer?  Hamilton  said,  'Yes, 
until  the  next  evening. '  The  President  said  the  answer  would 
then  be  ready.  Hamilton  then  said,  '  Mr.  President,  I  am  aware 
of  the  contents  of  that  letter,  and  think  that  if  you  would  accept 
them,  it  would  greatly  facilitate  the  negotiations  between  my 
Government  and  the  United  States. '  The  President  replied  that 
he  would  consider  it,  and  give  Mr.  Hamilton  his  answer  next  day. 
He  then,  as  we  were  leaving  the  room,  called  me  back,  gave  me 
the  letter  and  asked  me  to  read  it,  and  return  to  him  when  I  had 
done  so. " 

"The  letter  proposed  that,  in  order  to  quiet  the  apprehensions 
of  the  people  of  the  State  as  to  the  forts,  Governor  Pickens  should 
be  authorized  by  the  President  to  occupy  Fort  Sumter  with  a  small 


84  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

body  of  State  troops,  the  answer  to  the  request,  or  demand,  to  be 
given  in  twenty-four  hours.  *  If  Governor  Pickens  had  simply 
asked  the  President  for  an  assurance  that  Fort  Sumter  should  not 
be  occupied,  and  that  Anderson  should  be  so  instructed,  I  think 
it  could  have  been  obtained  ;  a^  it  was,  this  demand,  if  persisted 
in,  released  the  President  from  his  pledge  to  the  delegation,  placed 
them  in  a  very  awkward  attitude,  and,  in  my  opinion,  would  have 
led  to  exactly  what  it  wanted  to  avoid,  an  issue  before  the  arrival 
of  the  Commissioners.  Besides  which  the  Convention  was  in 
session  ;  the  very  day  on  which  Colonel  Hamilton  had  his  inter- 
view with  the  President  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  was  passed, 
and  that  body  properly  was  in  charge  of  the  conduct  and  policy 
of  the  State.  I  consulted  Senators  Davis  and  Slidell,  and  they 
were  both  of  opinion  that  to  press  this  demand  could  do  nothing 
but  mischief.  Generals  Bonham  and  McQueen,  two  of  the  Caro- 
lina delegation,  the  only  two,  I  believe,  then  in  Washington,  hap- 
pened to  dine  with  me  that  day,  and  as  Hamilton  had  told  them 
the  object  of  his  mission,  I  communicated  to  them  the  contents 
of  the  letter,  and  proposed  that  we  should  send  a  joint  telegram 
to  the  Governor  suggesting  its  withdrawal.  We  did  so,  and  late 
that  night  I  received  the  following  telegram  : 

"CHARLESTON,  December  20,  1860, 
Hon.  W.  H.  TRESCOT. 

"  You  are  authorized  and  requested  to  withdraw  my  letter  by 
Dr.  Hamilton  immediately  I  have  seen  General  Gushing.  Des- 
patch back  immediately.  Have  you  seen  Huger  ? 

"  F.  W.  Pickens." 

"The  next  morning  I  withdrew  the  letter.  The  President 
expressed  his  gratification,  repeated  to  me  over  and  again  his 
desire  to  avoid  collision,  his  readiness  to  receive  Commissioners, 
to  refer  them  to  Congress  in  good  faith,  and  his  determination  not 
to  disturb  the  status  of  the  forts,  but  to  wait  the  result  of  their 
negotiation.  He  was  pledged,  he  said,  not  to  disturb  the  status  in 
favor  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Governor  ought  not  and  could 
not  justly  ask  him  to  disturb  it  in  favor  of  the  State.  He  was 
trusting  to  the  honor  of  Carolina,  and  they  ougfit  not  to  suspect  him; 
he  was  acting  under  the  obligations  of  his  honor  ;  and  I — and  the 
State  might  rely  upon  it — would  redeem  it  to  the  uttermost.  He 

*  See  letter  in  Journal  of  House  of  Repre^  entatives,  South  Carolina,  Decem- 
ber n,  1861. 


LETTER  OF  ASSISTANT  SECRETARY  OF  STATE.        85 

said  he  had  taken  no  copy  of  the  letter,  but  would  be  glad,  if  I  had 
no  objections,  to  have  a  copy  of  the  telegram  under  which  I  with- 
drew it,  which  I  gave  him.  I  accordingly  returned  the  letter  to 
Hamilton,  with  another  to  the  Governor,  explaining  my  reasons 
for  asking  authority  to  withdraw  it."  This  letter  of  the  Assistant 
Secretary,  in  view  of  its  clear  and  important  statements,  is  here 
given  entire. 

"WASHINGTON,  December  21,  1860. 
"  To  His  EXCELLENCY  F.  W.  PICKENS, 

"  Governor  of  South  Carolina  : 

"  Sir :  Your  confidential  letter  to  the  President  was  duly 
delivered  to  him  yesterday  by  D.  H.  Hamilton,  Esq.,  according 
to  your  instructions.  It  was  withdrawn  (no  copy  having  been 
taken)  this  morning  by  me,  under  the  authority  of  your  tele- 
graphic despatch.  Its  withdrawal  was  most  opportune.  It 
reached  here  under  circumstances  which  you  could  not  have 
anticipated,  and  it  produced  the  following  effect  upon  the 
President : 

"  He  had  removed  Colonel  Gardiner  from  command  at  Fort 
Moultrie,  for  carrying  ammunition  from  the  arsenal  at  Charleston; 
he  had  refused  to  send  reinforcements  to  the  garrison  there  ;  he 
had  accepted  the  resignation  of  the  oldest,  most  eminent,  and 
highest  member  of  his  Cabinet,  rather  than  consent  to  send 
additional  force;  and  the  night  before  your  letter  arrived,  upon  a 
telegraphic  communication  that  arms  had  been  removed  from  the 
arsenal  to  Fort  Moultrie,  the  Department  of  War  had  issued 
prompt  orders,  by  telegraph,  to  the  officer  removing  them,  to 
restore  them  immediately.  He  had  done  this  upon  his  determi- 
nation to  avoid  all  risk  of  collision,  and  upon  the  written  assurance 
of  the  majority  of  the  Congressional  Delegation  from  the  State 
that  they  did  not  believe  there  was  any  danger  of  an  attack 
upon  the  forts  before  the  passage  of  the  Ordinance,  and  an 
expression  of  their  trust  and  hope  that  there  would  be  none  after, 
until  the  State  had  sent  Commissioners  here.  His  course  had 
been  violently  denounced  by  the  Northern  press,  and  an  effort 
was  being  made  to  institute  a  Congressional  investigation.  At 
that  moment  he  could  not  have  gone  to  the  extent  of  action  you 
desired,  and  I  felt  confident  that,  if  forced  to  answer  your  letter 
then,  he  would  have  taken  such  ground  as  would  have  prevented 
his  even  approaching  it  hereafter — a  possibility  not  at  all  improb- 
able, and  which  ought  to  be  kept  open.  I  considered,  also,  that 
the  chance  of  public  investigation  rendered  the  utmost  caution 
necessary  as  to  any  communications  from  the  State  ;  and  having 
presented  the  letter,  and  ascertained  what  the  nature  of  the  reply 
would  be,  you  had  all  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  truth,  without 


86  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  disadvantage  of  having  it  put  on  record.  Besides  this,  the 
President  seemed  to  think  that  your  request  was  based  upon  the 
impossibility  of  your  restraining  the  spirit  of  our  people — an 
interpretation  which  did  you  injustice,  and  the  possibility  of 
which  I  deemed  it  due  to  you  to  avoid.  He  also  appeared  to 
labor  under  the  impression  that  the  representations  of  the 
Members  of  Congress  and  your  own  differed  essentially,  and  this, 
I  thought,  on  account  of  both,  should  not  be  stated  in  any  reply 
to  you.  I  was  also  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  status  of  the  garri- 
sons would  not  be  disturbed. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  if  I  had  been  acting  under 
formal  credentials  from  you,  and  the  letter  had  been  unsealed,  I 
would  have  delayed  its  presentation  for  some  hours  until  I  could 
have  telegraphed  you;  but  that  was  impossible.  As  Major  Hamil- 
ton, therefore,  had  brought  with  him  General  McQueen  and  Gen- 
eral Bonham,  when  he  called  upon  me  and  delivered  the  letter, 
and  had  even  gone  so  far  as  to  express  the  wish  that  they  should 
be  present  when  he  delivered  it  to  the  President — a  proposition 
which  they  declined,  however — I  deemed  it  not  indiscreet,  nor  in 
violation  of  the  discretionary  confidence  which  your  letter  im- 
plied, to  take  their  counsel.  We  agreed  perfectly,  and  the  result 
was  the  telegraphic  despatch  of  last  night.  The  withdrawal  of 
the  letter  was  a  great  relief  to  the  President,  who  is  most  earnestly 
anxious  to  avoid  an  issue  with  the  State  or  its  authorities,  and,  I 
think,  has  encouraged  his  disposition  to  go  as  far  as  he  can  in 
this  matter,  and  to  treat  those  who  may  represent  the  State  with 
perfect  frankness. 

"  I  have  had,  this  morning,  an  interview  with  Governor  Floyd, 
the  Secretary  of  War.  No  order  has  been  issued  that  will  at  all 
disturb  the  present  condition  of  the  garrisons;  and  while  I  cannot 
even  here  venture  into  details,  which  are  too  confidential  to  be 
risked  in  any  way,  I  am  prepared  to  say,  with  a  full  sense  of  the 
responsibility,  that  nothing  will  be  done  which  will  either  do  you 
injury  or  properly  create  alarm.  Of  course,  when  your  Commis- 
sioners have  succeeded,  or  failed  to  effect  their  negotiations,  the 
whole  issue  is  fairly  before  you,  to  be  met  as  courage,  honor  and 
wisdom  may  direct. 

"  My  delay  in  answering  your  telegram  concerning  Colonel 
Huger  was  caused  by  his  absence  from  this  place.  He  came,  in 
reply  to  my  telegram,  last  night,  and  this  morning  I  telegraphed 
you  his  decision,  which  I  presume  he  has  explained  by  a  letter  of 
this  same  date.  As  Major  Hamilton  leaves  this  evening,  I  have 
only  time  to  write  this  hurried  letter,  and  am,  sir, 

"Very  respectfully, 

"WTM.  HENRY  TRESCOT. 

"  I  inclose  your  confidential  letter  in  this." 

Two  days  before  the  interview  with   Major   Hamilton,  the 


SECRET  MISSION  OF  MR.  GUSHING.  $7 

President,  having  appointed  the  Hon.  Caleb  Gushing  a  special 
agent  in  his  behalf  for  the  purpose  of  changing  or  modifying  the 
action  of  the  State,  sent  him  with  the  following  letter  to  the 
Governor  of  South  Carolina  :* 

"WASHINGTON,  December  18,  1860. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR  : 

"  From  common  notoriety,  I  assume  the  fact  that  the  State  of 
South  Carolina  is  now  deliberating  on  the  question  of  seceding 
from  the  Union.  While  any  hope  remains  that  this  may  be  pre- 
vented, or  even  retarded  so  long  as  to  allow  the  people  of  her 
sister  States  an  opportunity  to  manifest  their  opinion  upon  the 
causes  which  have  led  to  this  proceeding,  it  is  my  duty  to  exert 
all  the  means  in  my  power  to  avert  so  dread  a  catastrophe. 

"  I  have  therefore  deemed  it  advisable  to  send  to  you  the  Hon. 
Caleb  Gushing,  in  whose  integrity,  ability  and  prudence  I  have 
full  confidence,  to  hold  communication  with  you  on  my  behalf, 
for  the  purpose  of  changing  or  modifying  the  contemplated 
action  of  the  State  in  the  manner  I  have  already  suggested. 

"  Commending  Mr.  Gushing  to  your  kind  attention,  for  his 
own  sake  as  well  as  that  of  the  cause,  I  remain, 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  Your  friend, 
(Signed.)  "JAMES  BUCHANAN. 

"  His  EXCELLENCY  FRANCIS  W.  PICKENS." 

While  the  object  of  Mr.  Cushing's  mission  was  a  secret  one, 
its  purpose  was  understood  to  be  a  proposition  from  Mr. 
Buchanan  that  the  call  for  a  convention  in  South  Carolina  should 
be  postponed  until  his  administration  had  ended,  and  that  the 
existing  status  should  remain  undisturbed. 

The  interview  with  Governor  Pickens  was  short.  He  told 
Mr.  Gushing,  frankly,  that  he  would  return  no  reply  to  the 
President's  letter,  except  to  say  "  very  candidly,  that  there  was 
no  hope  for  the  Union,  and  that,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  he 
intended  to  maintain  the  separate  independence  of  South  Carolina, 
and  from  this  purpose  neither  temptation  nor  danger  should  for  ?. 
moment  deter  him. 

In  regard  to  the  status  in  the  harbor,  Mr.  Gushing  informed 
him  that  while  he  could  not  say  what  changes  circumstances 
might  produce,  when  he  left  Washington  there  was  then  no  inten- 
tion whatever  to  change  the  status  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  in 


*  "  The  Record  of  Fort  Sumter."    Columbia,  S.  C.,  1862. 


88  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

any  way.*  Official  courtesy  was  not  overlooked  in  the  reception 
of  Mr.  Gushing. 

On  the  2oth  of  December  a  joint  committee  of  both  Houses 
of  the  Legislature  was  appointed  to  invite  him  to  attend  in  Insti- 
tute Hall  in  the  evening,  when,  in  presence  of  both  branches  of  the 
general  assembly,  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  passed  that  day  \vcs 
to  be  signed  by  the  President  and  members  of  the  Convention. 
This,  as  well  as  the  tender  of  the  privileges  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  was  declined  by  Mr.  Gushing,  who,  rinding  it  im- 
possible to  attain  the  object  of  his  mission,  returned  at  once  to 
Washington. 

Meantime,  Governor  Pickens,  not  satisfied  to  await  a  response 
to  his  letter  to  the  President,  went  to  Charleston  on  the  i8th,  the 
day  after  his  messenger  left,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  take  into 
his  own  hands  the  enforcement  of  the  existing  status  in  the 
harbor.  Sending  at  midnight  of  the  i8th  for  Captain  Charles  H. 
Simonton,  who  with  his  command,  the  Washington  Light  Infantry, 
had  been  guarding  the  arsenal  to  prevent  the  removal  of  ammu- 
nition or  stores  to  the  forts,  he  informed  him  that  he  had  heard 
of  an  intention  upon  the  part  of  the  commandant  of  Fort  Moul- 
trie  to  evacuate  that  work  and  take  possession  of  Fort  Sumter ; 
that  this  muse  be  prevented  at  all  hazards  ;  but  that,  if  possible, 
an  actual  conflict  with  the  United  States  troops  must  be  avoided; 
that  he  had  determined  to  send  Captain  Simonton,  with  such  men 
from  his  company  as  he  could  rely  upon,  to  cruise  between  the 
two  forts.  His  orders  were  specific  and  in  writing.  He  was  to 
hail  every  boat  passing  between  the  forts  ;  if  he  found  that  any 
were  boats  with  United  States  troops  on  board,  he  was  ordered 
to  state  to  the  officer  in  charge  his  orders  and  to  prevent  the  pas- 
sage at  all  hazards.  If  the  officer  persisted  he  was  to  resist  it  by 
force,  to  sink  his  boats  and  then  immediately  to  take  Fort  Sumter. 
He  was  to  use  his  own  discretion  in  accomplishing  the  object  in 
view.f 

Obeying  his  instructions,  Captain  Simonton  moved  a  detach- 
ment of  his  command  from  the  arsenal  at  once,  and  placing  them 
on  a  small  steamer,  proceeded  down  the  harbor  to  cruise  between 


*  See  Message  No.  I  to  Legislature  of  South  Carolina  at  extra  session  of 
November,  1861. 

t  Governor  Pickens's  Message  at  called  session  of  Legislature,  convened 
November  5,  1861. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  SECURING  THE  FORTS.  go 

Fort  Moultrie  and  Fort  Sumter.  This  wrs  repeated  night  after 
night  until  the  23d  instant,  when  he  was  relieved  from  duty  by  the 
Charleston  Rifles  under  Captain  J.  Johnson,  Jr. 

The  day  after  his  inauguration  the  Governor  sent  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  John  Green  to  Fort  Monroe  with  instructions  to  furnish 
him  with  information  of  all  military  operations;  and  he  employed 
a  Mr.  Charles  Norris,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  minute  men  of 
Norfolk,  to  keep  him  informed.  He  also  hired  a  workman  to 
work  in  the  yard  and  to  keep  him  posted;  and  the  Governor  says 
that  he  owes  much  to  Mr.  Norris  for  this. 

It  was  believed  by  many  that,  while  there  was  no  hope  of  pre- 
serving the  Union,  a  peaceable  solution  of  the  difficulties  might 
yet  be  arrived  at  by  negotiation,  provided  that  the  public  property 
in  the  harbor  should  be  secured  in  the  possession  of  the  State 
now;  while  the  administration  at  Washington,  although  not 
friendly,  was  at  least  committed  to  such  a  course  as  to  bar  any 
active  interference.  Within  a  few  months  that  administration  was 
to  pass  away,  and  there  was  nothing  to  induce  any  other  belief 
than  that  the  incoming  administration,  securely  seated  in  power 
and  in  possession  of  the  immense  resources  of  the  Government, 
would  prove  hostile  to  any  proposition  for  the  transfer  of  the 
public  property.  Under  such  circumstances  there  was  no  hope 
for  peace,  for  it  was  the  conviction  of  all  minds  that  the  forts  in 
the  harbor  of  Charleston  should  and  would  be  taken  by  the  State. 

A  strong  pressure  had  been  brought  to  bear  upon  the  Governor 
soon  after  his  inauguration,  in  reference  to  the  public  property  in 
the  harbor,  and  especially  in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter.  The  sub- 
ject had  engaged  the  attention  of  the  prominent  men  ;  and  the 
leaders,  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  people,  felt  the 
necessity  of  vigorous  action.  So  earnest  was  the  feeling  on  the 
subject  of  the  immediate  seizure  of  the  forts  that  parties  were 
formed  both  for  and  against  the  measure.  Among  the  sugges- 
tions made  and  urged  upon  the  Governor  was  one  by  Colonel 
R.  B.  Rhett,  Jr.,  that  a  large  steamer  of  the  Boston  line  should  be 
chartered,  500  riflemen  put  on  board,  and  the  ship  anchored 
abreast  of  the  fort  and  commanding  the  entrance  of  the  inner 
harbor. 

Early  in  November,  when  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
known,  but  had  not  yet  been  promulgated,  a  party  representing 
various  military  organizations  in  Charleston  presented  themselves 


9o 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


to  two  of  the  leading  military  men  of  the  city,  and  offered  to  go, 
under  their  command,  and  take  possession  of  Fort  Sumter.  These 
gentlemen  dissuaded  the  applicants  from  any  immediate  action, 
but  promised  co-operation  in  case  that  any  movement  should  be 
made. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Huger  to  take  command  of  the 
arsenal  in  Charleston,  he  sought  an  interview  with  one  of  these 
gentlemen,  and  informed  him  that  it  was  known  that  such  a  prop- 
osition had  been  made.  Shortly  after  the  inauguration  and  arrival 
of  Governor  Pickens  in  Charleston,  he  was  waited  upon  by  four 
members  of  the  Legislature,  consisting  of  Colonel  Rhett,  Mr. 
W.  S.  Mullins,  and  two  others,and  earnestly  urged  to  take  measures 
to  prevent  any  movement  to  Fort  Sumter. 

Governor  Pickens  replied  that  he  had  made  all  necessary 
arrangements  in  reference  to  preventing  Major  Anderson  from 
occupying  Fort  Sumter,  and  he  endeavored  to  satisfy  these  gen- 
tlemen that  any  such  movement  would  be  prevented.  The  desire 
to  avoid  any  collision  with  the  General  Government,  and  the 
growing  belief  that  the  status,  as  it  then  existed,  would  not  be  dis- 
turbed until  the  Convention  should  act,  mainly  influenced  Gov- 
ernor Pickens  to  content  himself  with  an  effort  to  enforce  it.  Nor 
had  the  Governor  himself  been  indifferent  to  the  importance  of 
Fort  Sumter,  as  conferring  upon  the  force  that  held  it  the  control 
of  the  harbor. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Charleston  in  December,  he  directed 
Major  Walter  Gwynn,  an  accomplished  engineer,  to  make  an 
inspection  and  report  of  the  condition  of  Fort  Sumter.  This 
officer  at  once  made  a  thorough  inspection  and  report  of  the  work. 
The  result  of  this  inspection  was  soon  known,  and  added  to  the 
deep-seated  feeling  already  existing  in  regard  to  the  immediate 
possession  of  the  fort. 

The  press  throughout  the  State  teemed  with  the  most  earnest 
arguments  in  favor  of  an  immediate  seizure  of  the  forts,  and  the 
principal  journal  of  Charleston,  the  leader  of  secession  sentiment, 
was  incessant  in  its  demands  for  the  seizure  of  Fort  Sumter. 
Resolutions  were  introduced  into  the  Legislature,  and  public 
speeches  were  made  by  prominent  men,  all  urging  immediate 
action.  "  The  forts,"  said  a  distinguished  speaker  to  an  assem- 
blage at  Charleston,  "  will  be  ours  as  soon  as  we  secede,  and  we 
will  secede  as  surely  as  the  sun  will  rise  on  to-morrow." 


GOVERNOR  URGED  TO  SEIZE  SUMTER. 


91 


Almost  immediately  after  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  in 
Charleston,  and  upon  the  second  or  third  day  of  its  session,  a  party 
consisting  of  Ex-Governor  J.  A.  Winston,  of  Alabama,  Benjamin 
McCullough,  George  Saunders,  and  Mr.  Sherrod,  of  Alabama,  pro- 
ceeded to  Fort  Sumter,  and  thoroughly  inspected  it  as  to  its  offen- 
sive and  defensive  qualifications,  and  as  to  its  power  of  resisting  an 
attack  from  the  land. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  December,  Colonel  R.  B.  Rhett, 
Jr.,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Williams  Middleton,  of  Charleston, 
waited  again  upon  the  Governor.  A  letter  had  been  received  by 
Colonel  Rhett,  from  a  friend  in  Washington  who  was  likely  to  be 
well  informed,  to  the  effect  that  Anderson  was  about  to  seize 
Fort  Sumter,  and  Governor  Pickens  was  urged  again  to  secure  it. 
Mr.  Middleton  was  not  present  at  the  interview,  having  been  called 
away,  but  the  name  and  the  opportunities  for  information  of  his 
informant  were  given  by  Colonel  Rhett  to  the  Governor.  On  that 
night,  Anderson  transferred  his  command  from  Fort  Moultrie  to 
Fort  Sumter.  Two  signal  guns  were  fired,  as  has  been  before 
described,  which  announced  to  Lieutenant  Hall — who,  in  command 
of  two  lighters  with  the  women  and  children,  and  stores  of  the  gar- 
rison, had  awaited  the  signal  to  make  sail  for  Fort  Sumter — that 
the  command  had  arrived  there. 

As  the  report  of  these  guns  echoed  through  the  city  of  Charles- 
ton, the  distinguished  gentleman  who  had  accompanied  Colonel 
Rhett  in  the  morning,  and  who  knew  the  purport  of  the  letter 
received  from  Washington,  announced  to  his  guests  at  his  resi- 
dence that  the  Governor  had  taken  Fort  Sumter. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Work  pushed  on  at  Moultrie— Anderson  dissatisfied  with  flanking  defenses— Re- 
ports to  Washington — Urges  importance  of  Sumter — Requests  permission 
to  occupy  it — Armament  of  Moultrie — Its  defenses — Aggressive  feeling  of 
the  people — Armament  of  Castle  Pinckney — Work  upon  Fort  Sumter — 
Ready  for  its  guns — Guard-boat  appears,  and  report  made  to  Washington 
— Anderson's  orders — His  understanding  of  them — Not  informed  of  any 
understanding  —His  private  letters — Change  in  Anderson's  manner — De- 
termines to  move  his  command  to  Fort  Sumter. 

WORK  was  now  pushed  on  at  the  forts  with  the  greatest  activity, 
and  Major  Anderson  considered  that  an  attack  upon  him  was  more 
and  more  imminent.  He  manifested  the  greatest  anxiety  in  regard 
to  the  progress  and  character  of  the  defensive  works  going  on, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  was  conscious  that  over  their  nature  or 
construction  he  could  exercise  no  absolute  control,  and  this  added 
greatly  to  his  embarrassment.  He  had  differed  from  the  engineer 
in  charge  in  regard  to  the  building  of  a  caponiere,  or  bastionette, 
at  one  of  the  angles  of  the  work  for  flanking  defense.  One  at  an 
opposite  angle  had  already  been  constructed,  and  the  foundation 
of  the  other  had  been  laid.  But  Major  Anderson  considered  that 
it  was  now  too  late  to  commence  its  construction,  and  on  the  6th  of 
December  he  had  communicated  his  views  to  the  War  Department, 
and  suggested  the  substitution  of  some  other  arrangement  of  more 
speedy  construction. 

On  the  2oth,  the  day  upon  which  the  Ordinance  of  Secession 
was  passed  by  the  Convention  of  South  Carolina,  he  called  the 
attention  of  the  War  Department  to  the  fact  that  no  reply  had 
been  made  to  his  suggestion  ;  that  the  engineer  officer  did  not  feel 
authorized  to  make  any  change,  and  would  commence  the  work  on 
the  next  day.  This  he  regretted  very  much,  "  for,  "  said  he,  "  if 
an  attack  is  made  while  that  work  is  going  on,  our  fort  can  be  very 
easily  carried."  On  the  22d  inst,  in  submitting  to  the  Govern- 
ment a  statement  of  the  engineer  officer,  that  he  would  have  the 
work  defensible  in  five  and  have  it  finished  in  nine  working  days, 
he  replied,  "  God  knows  whether  the  South  Carolinians  will  defer 


MAJ.  ANDERSON'S  LETTER  TO  THE  ADJT.-GEN.       93 

their  attempt  to  take  this  work  as  long  as  that;"  and  he  urges  upon 
the  Government  that  when  an  officer  was  placed  in  as  delicate  a 
position  as  he  then  was,  "  he  should  have  the  entire  control  over 
all  persons  connected  in  any  way  with  the  work  entrusted  to  him." 
Major  Anderson  felt  the  restrictions  upon  him  keenly.  In  the 

same  communication  he  reports  the  presence  of  the  steamer 

guard-boat — between  him  and  Fort  Sumter  ;  that  the  authorities 
of  the  State  were  determined  to  prevent,  if  possible,  any  troops 
from  being  placed  in  that  fort ;  and  that  they  would  seize  it  as 
soon  as  they  thought  it  questionable  as  to  its  being  turned  over  to 
the  State.  He  again  urged  upon  the  Government  that  if  they 
would  give  him  orders  he  could  throw  his  garrison  into  Fort  Sum- 
ter, although  he  must  sacrifice  the  greater  part  of  his  stores,  as  it 
was  now  too  late  to  remove  them.  But  once  in  Fort  Sumter,  he 
could  keep  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  open  until  works  should  be 
constructed  outside  of  him.  He  thought  that  no  one  could  tell 
what  would  be  done  ;  that  action  might  be  deferred  until  the  Com- 
missioners return  from  Washington  ;  or,  if  they  saw  that  their 
demands  were  not  likely  to  be  complied  with,  the  State  would  act 
without  waiting  for  their  return.  He  did  not  think  that  he  could 
rely  upon  any  assurances,  and  he  "  wishes  to  God  that  he  only 
had  men  enough  to  fully  man  his  guns." 

In  view  of  the  importance  of  this  communication  from  Major 
Anderson,  it  is  here  given  in  full: 

No.  10.]  "Four  MOULTRIE,  S.  C,  December  22,  1860. 

"(Received  A.  G.  O.,  December  26.) 
"Col.  S.  COOPER,  Adjutant-General : 

"  COLONEL  :  Captain  Foster  is  apprehensive  that  the  remarks 
in  my  letter  of  the  2oth  instant  may  be  considered  as  reflecting 
upon  him,  and  I  told  him  that  I  would  cheerfully  state  distinctly 
that  I  do  not  intend  to  pass  any  criticism  upon  his  proceedings. 

"  I  stated  in  my  last  letter  fully  all  the  reasons  I  intended  to 
give  against  commencing  the  second  caponiere.  The  Captain  has 
put  a  very  large  force  of  masons  on  it,  and  they  are  running  up 
the  walls  very  rapidly.  He  says,  as  he  has  all  the  material  on 
hand,  the  men,  having  just  completed  the  first  one,  will  be  enabled 
to  construct  the  second  caponiere  as  soon  as  they  could  finish  any 
temporary  work  in  its  stead.  He  says  that  he  will  have  the  '  work 
defensible  in  five  more  working  days,  and  have  it  finished  in  nine 
more  working  days.'  God  knows  whether  the  South  Carolinians 
will  defer  their  attempt  to  take  this  work  so  long  as  that.  I  must 
confess  that  I  think  where  an  officer  is  placed  in  as  delicate  a 


94  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

position  as  the  one  I  occupy,  that  he  should  have  the  entire  con- 
trol over  all  persons  connected  in  any  way  with  the  work  intrusted 
to  him.  Responsibility  and  power  to  control  ought  to  go 
together. 

"  I  have  heard  from  several  sources  that  last  night  and  the 
night  before  a  steamer  was  stationed  between  this  island  and  Fort 
Sumter.  That  the  authorities  of  South  Carolina  are  determined 
to  prevent,  if  possible,  any  troops  from  being  placed  in  that  fort, 
and  that  they  will  seize  upon  that  most  important  work  as  soon  as 
they  think  there  is  reasonable  ground  for  a  doubt  whether  it  will 
be  turned  over  to  the  State,  I  do  not  doubt.  I  think  that  I  could, 
however,  were  I  to  receive  instructions  so  to  do,  throw  my  garri- 
son into  that  work,  but  I  should  have  to  sacrifice  the  greater  part 
of  my  stores,  as  it  is  now  too  late  to  attempt  their  removal.  Once 
in  that  work  with  my  garrison  I  could  keep  the  entrance  of  their 
harbor  open  until  they  construct  works  outside  of  me,  which 
might,  I  presume,  prevent  vessels  from  coming  into  the  outer 
harbor. 

"  We  have  used  nearly  all  the  empty  barrels  which  Captain 
Foster  had  wisely  saved,  for  embrasures,  traverses,  &c.,  and 
Captain  Foster  is  now  making  use  of  our  gun  pent-houses  for  the 
same  purpose,  filling  them  with  sand. 

"  No  one  can  tell  what  will  be  done.  They  may  defer  action 
until  their  Commissioners  return  from  Washington  ;  or,  if  apprised 
by  the  nature  of  the  debates  in  Congress  that  their  demands  will 
not  probably  be  acceded  to,  they  may  act  without  waiting  for 
them. 

"  I  do  not  think  that  we  can  rely  upon  any  assurances,  and 
wish  to  God  I  only  had  men  enough  here  to  man  fully  my  guns. 
Our  men  are  perfectly  conscious  of  the  dangerous  position  they 
are  placed  in,  but  are  in  as  fine  spirits  as  if  they  were  certain  of 
victory. 

"  I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"  Major  First  Artillery,  Commanding. 

"  P.  S. — I  have  just  heard  that  several  of  the  men  at  work  in 
Fort  Sumter  wear  the  blue  cockade.  If  they  are  bold  enough  to 
do  that  the  sooner  that  force  is  disbanded  the  better.  The  public 
property  would  be  safer  there  under  Lieutenant  Snyder  and  a  few 
men  than  it  now  is. 

"R.  A." 

Through  the  activity  and  ability  of  the  Engineer  Department 
Fort  Moultrie  was  now  in  a  condition  of  defense,  so  far  as  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  its  position  permitted.  On  the  i3th  of 
December,  the  engineer  officer  reported  to  his  chief  that  the 
auxiliary  defenses  would  be  completed  in  four  days,  and  that  with 
a  sufficient  war  garrison  he  would  consider  the  fort  secure  against 


DEFENSES  OF  FORT  MOULTRIE.  05 

any  attack  that  the  State  could  bring  against  it,  but  that  the  gar- 
rison was  a  mere  handful  of  sixty  men,  and  he  could  hardly  spare 
men  for  the  flanking  defenses  he  had  built.  Its  armament  was 
complete.  Its  heavy  battery  numbered  forty-five  guns,  including  six- 
teen 24-pounders,  nineteen  32-pounders  and  ten  8-inch  Columbiads. 
In  addition  to  these,  there  were  one  lo-inch  seacoast  mortar,  four 
brass  field-guns  and  three  howitzers  of  12  and  24  pounds  for 
flanking  defense.  There  was  a  large  supply  of  ammunition  both 
for  artillery  and  infantry,  and  with  some  exception,  a  complete 
service  for  the  guns. 

On  the  2oth  of  December,  the  day  upon  which  the  State 
passed  the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  137  men  were  at  work  upon 
the  defenses  of  Fort  Moultrie.  The  wet  ditch  that  partly 
surrounded  the  work,  half  quicksand,  was  completed.  The  east 
front  of  the  work  was  raised,  and  the  guns  facing  the  sand-hills 
were  provided  with  siege  -battery  embrasures  faced  with  hides, 
with  heavy  merlons  between  them,  and  strong  traverses  to  pre- 
vent an  enfilading  fire.  A  bridge  connecting  the  barracks  and 
guard-house — which  had  been  loop-holed  for  musketry  and 
arranged  for  sharpshooters — was  finished.  Positions  were  estab- 
lished for  sharpshooters,  and  a  picket  fence  was  built  bordering 
the  ditch  and  running  half  around  the  fort.  The  embanking  of 
the  glacis  was  completed,  and  it  was  proposed  by  the  engineer 
officer  to  connect  a  powerful  Daniells  Battery  with  the  magazine 
of  Fort  Sumter,  as  well  as  with  mines  around  Fort  Moultrie  and 
under  the  sand-hills,  and  to  explode  these  mines  if  the  position 
should  be  taken  by  an  armed  force.  A  strict  watch  was  kept 
night  and  day,  and  entrance  to  the  fort  forbidden  to  all  but  the 
garrison.  Hitherto  the  freest  access  had  been  permitted,  but  as 
the  position  of  the  garrison  became  more  critical,  and  interested 
persons — among  them  military  officials — came  down  to  observe 
and  make  notes  and  sketches  of  the  work  going  on,  it  became 
necessary  to  close  the  gates  to  all  but  the  garrison — a  proceeding 
that  occasioned  complaint  and  increased  the  already  excited  feel- 
ing of  the  people.  Newspaper  correspondents  and  crowds  of 
visitors  came  daily,  and  among  them  persons  of  position  and  dis- 
tinction, who  conversed  freely  with  the  officers  with  regard  to 
their  position.  The  venerable  James  Pettigrew,  accompanied  by 
Judge  George  S.  Bryan,  of  Charleston,  came  to  visit  the  garrison 
and  to  convey  their  sympathy  with  its  position,  while  frankly 


'^6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL 

expressing  their  opinion  that  if  the  fort  was  not  given  up  it  would 
be  taken.  They  thought  that  a  continuance  of  the  work  under 
the  circumstances  would  be  unwise.  Their  engineers  came  down  as 
the  defenses  progressed,  studying  the  points  of  attack  and  defense. 
It  became  questionable  for  the  officers  to  visit  the  city  of  Charles- 
ton. There  was  no  social  or  public  gathering  in  which  the  great 
question  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  was  not  discussed.  Just  pre- 
vious to  the  secession  of  the  State  a  distinguished  gentleman  of 
Charleston,  in  addressing  a  large  meeting  at  Columbia,  said 
"  that  the  forts  in  the  harbor  had  their  guns  pointed  upon  the 
city,"  and  he  called  upon  the  people  to  go  down  and  turn  these  guns 
backward.*  The  occupants  of  the  fort  were  called  hirelings  and 
mercenaries,  and  every  effort  was  made  to  stimulate  the  people 
and  excite  them  against  the  garrison.  In  the  Legislature  a 
motion  was  made  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Rhett  that  the  forts  be  taken  at 
once.  This  was  seconded,  but  the  motion  was  postponed  by  the 
influence  of  the  more  conservative  men. 

At  Castle  Pinckney  all  of  the  guns  and  carriages  were  placed 
in  good  working  order,  but  the  general  work  was  delayed,  as  the 
Charleston  merchants  refused  to  sell  to  the  engineer  officer,  as  an 
agent  of  the  United  States,  the  necessary  lumber. 

The  embrasure  shutters  of  the  main  gate  were  repaired  and 
secured,  the  cisterns  rebuilt,  and  work  upon  the  wooden  ban- 
quettes in  the  half-bastion  commenced.  The  working  party  at 
Castle  Pinckney  were  picked  men,  and  the  engineer  officer 
believed  them  to  be  wholly  reliable  for  service  against  any  mob 
that  should  assault  the  fort. 

Work  had  rapidly  advanced  also  at  Fort  Sumter,  upon  which 
150  men  were  actually  at  work.  The  casemate  arches  for  the 
second  tier  of  guns  were  now  completed,  the  flagging  laid  and  the 
traverse  rails  mounted,  but  the  construction  of  the  embrasures  had 
been  delayed,  as  the  material  necessary  had  not  yet  arrived. 
The  barracks  for  the  men  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  fort  had  been 
finished.  The  traverse  stones  of  the  first  tier  were  reset  ;  the 
flagging  of  the  second  tier  was  laid,  and  the  construction  of  the 
embrasures  of  that  tier  begun.  But  few  of  the  guns  had  been 
mounted  at  Fort  Sumter,  as  Major  Anderson  had  recommended 


*This  statement  induced  the  Hon.  John  Tyler,  of  Virginia,  to  ask  the 
President  if  it  were  true. 


CAPTAIN  FOSTER'S  IMPORTANT  COMMUNICA  TION. 


97 


a  suspension  of  the  armament  until  the  future  of  the  fort  was 
more  definitely  determined.  Nor  did  the  engineer  officer  think 
it  safe  to  proceed  with  the  work,  although  everything  was  in 
readiness  to  mount  all  of  the  guns  when  it  was  deemed  necessary 
and  safe  so  to  do.  In  communicating  to  his  chief  on  the  22d  of 
December  the  progress  and  completion  of  the  work  upon  Fort 
Moultrie,  Captain  Foster  had  reported  the  presence  of  the  guard- 
boats  near  the  forts,  whose  movements  had  been  of  such  a  char- 
acter that  on  the  night  of  the  2oth  the  night-watch  at  Fort 
Sumter  had  reported  to  Lieutenant  Snyder,  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  work,  the  near  presence  of  the  guard-boat.  Upon  visiting 
the  ramparts,  Lieutenant  Snyder  found  the  vessel  close  under  the 
west  flank  of  the  fort,  apparently  sounding.  At  Castle  Pinckney 
another  steamer  remained  close  to  the  work,  and  when  hailed  by 
the  night-watch  as  to  her  purpose,  an  answer  was  returned,  "  You 
will  know  in  another  week."  In  a  report  made  to  his  chief, 
the  engineer  stated  that  he  had  taken  no  steps  to  ascertain  the 
object  of  this  espionage,  as  the  recent  orders  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment had  assured  him  that  every  cause  that  might  irritate  the 
people  must  be  avoided.  This  communication  from  Captain 
Foster  was  deemed  so  important  that  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 
Engineer  Bureau  at  Washington*  took  the  letter  in  person  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  on  the  26th  of  December,  and  read  it  to  him. 
After  listening  to  the  reading  of  the  letter,  the  Secretary  merely 
remarked  that  "  it  was  very  satisfactory,"  and  expressed  a  wish 
that  the  troubles  would  pass  without  bloodshed.  While  com- 
mending the  course  of  his  subordinate,  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  Engineer  Bureau  informs  him  that,  although  his  several 
letters  had  been  laid  before  the  Secretary  of  War  and  instruc- 
tions for  him  earnestly  requested,  "  thus  far  no  such  instructions 
had  been  received." 

This  important  communication,  with  its  official  indorsements, 
is  here  given  entire: 

"SULLIVAN'S  ISLAND,  S.  C,  December  22,  1860. 
"  Col.  R  E.  DE  RUSSY, 

"  Commanding  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army,  Washington. 
D.  C.  : 

"  COLONEL  :  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  inform  you  that  on  the  last 
two  nights  steamers  from  town  have  remained  in  the  close  vicinity 


*Captain  H.  G.  Wright,  Corps  of  Engineers. 


g 8  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

of  Fort  Sumter,  apparently  with  the  object  of  maintaining  guard 
over  the  fort.  On  the  first  night,  that  of  the  2oth,  only  one  came. 
She  approached  from  the  direction  of  town,  as  though  running  for 
the  wharf,  and  her  movements  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
watchman,  he  awoke  Lieutenant  Snyder,  who,  when  he  went  upon 
the  ramparts,  found  her  close  under  the  west  flank,  apparently 
sounding.  She  afterwards  moved  off  to  a  second  position  about 
six  hundred  yards  from  the  fort,  and  remained  during  the  night. 
She  showed  no  lights.  On  the  same  night  this  or  another  steamer 
reconnoitred  and  remained  around  Castle  Pinckney  for  some 
time,  and  when  hailed  by  the  night-watch  on  the  Castle  as  to 
what  she  wanted,  some  one  replied,  'You  will  know  in  a  week,' 
Last  night  two  steamers  kept  watch  around  Fort  Sumter. 

"  These  steamers  are  the  small  harbor  or  coast  steamers,  and 
one  of  them  was  named  the  Nina.  Judging  it  best  not  to  incur 
any  risk  of  an  unpleasant  occurrence,  I  have  not  taken  any  steps 
to  ascertain  the  object  of  this  surveillance,  nor  of  those  in  com- 
mand of  the  steamers.  The  recent  orders  emanating  from  the 
War  Department  have  given  me  the  assurance  that  every  cause 
that  might  irritate  these  people  must  be  avoided.  However  mor- 
tifying it  may  be  to  know  that  there  are  no  means  for  defense  in 
Fort  Sumter,  and  that  the  military  men  of  the  city  have  their  eyes 
fixed  upon  it  as  the  prize  to  obtain,  I  feel  bound  to  carry  out  this 
idea  in  my  every  act. 

"I  do  not  even  feel  authorized  to  vary  my  present  plan  of 
operations,  either  by  a  reduction  or  an  increase  of  force,  although 
my  expenses  are  very  heavy,  and  my  present  liabilities  barely 
covered  by  my  requisitions  just  made.  Whenever  the  Depart- 
ment desires  that  I  may  make  a  change  of  operations,  I  beg  that 
it  may  soon  be  communicated  to  me. 

"  At  Fort  Moultrie  I  am  still  exerting  myself  to  the  utmost  to 
make  it  so  defensible  as  to  discourage  any  attempts  to  take  it. 
The  wet  ditch  is  now  completed.  The  whole  of  the  east  front  is 
now  raised  by  solid  merlons,  two  barrels  high,  and  in  three  posi- 
tions to  a  greater  height,  to  serve  for  cavaliers.  The  guns  are 
provided  with  good  siege-battery  embrasures,  faced  with  green 
hides,  and  two  of  them  8-inch  howitzers,  one  in  addition  fur- 
nished with  musket-proof  shutters  working  on  an  axis,  elevated 
over  the  throat  of  the  embrasure  by  supports  on  each  side,  and 
manoeuvred  by  double  bars  extending  back  over  the  gun. 

"  A  field  howitzer  has  been  put  in  position  on  the  parapet  at 
the  northeast  salient  by  means  of  a  palmetto  stockade,  so  as  to 
sweep  the  vicinity  of  that  angle  better  than  it  was  before. 
Traverses  to  intercept  shot  from  the  sand-hills  have  been  placed 
on  the  parapet  and  upon  the  terrepleins. 

'•  The  bridge  connecting  the  barracks  and  guard  -  house  is 
completed,  the  doors  arranged  with  fastenings,  doors  cut  through 
the  partition  walls  of  the  barracks,  trap-doors  cut  in  the  floors,  and 


ENDORSEMENT  OF  CHIEF  ENGINEER.  ng 

ladders  made.  The  howitzers  in  the  finished  caponiere  are  put 
in  good  working  order.  The  second  caponiere  was  commenced 
yesterday  morning,  with  a  full  force  of  masons,  and  by  to-night 
was  over  six  feet  in  height,  with  both  embrasures  completed. 
Major  Anderson  wanted  me  to  adopt  some  more  temporary  con- 
struction, but  I  showed  him  that  this  would  be  far  more  valuable 
in  the  defense,  and  having  the  materials  and  masons  ready,  I 
could  construct  it  just  as  quickly  and  cheaply.  On  Monday  I 
shall  erect  a  lookout  tower,  or  sharpshooter  stand,  on  top  of  the 
guard-house,  at  Major  Anderson's  request.  I  have  stopped  for 
the  present  the  work  upon  the  glacis  in  front  of  the  sea  front,  and 
put  all  my  force  upon  the  above  works.  The  glacis  has,  how- 
ever, assumed  fine  proportions,  and  is  in  fact  nearly  completed. 
One-half  of  the  interior  slope  is  well  sodded,  and  half  of  the 
glacis  slope  covered  with  muck  six  inches  thick. 

"  It  will  take  very  little  work  to  complete  the  whole  of  it,  as 
soon  as  the  present  pressing  work  is  finished. 

"  Very  truly  yours,  J.  G.  FOSTER, 

"  Captain  Engineers" 
[Endorsement  No.  i.] 

ENGINEER  DEPARTMENT,  December  24,  1860. 
"  Respectfully  submitted  to  the  honorable  Secretary  of  War  for 
his  information,  and  with  the  earnest  request  that  the  instructions 
solicited  by  Captain  Foster  may  be  promptly  given. 

"  H.  G.  WRIGHT, 
"  Captain  of  Engineers,  in  charge" 

[Endorsement  No.  2.] 

"  ENGINEER  DEPARTMENT,  December  26,  1860. 
"  Respectfully  referred  to  the  honorable  Secretary  of  War, 
and  his  attention  urgently  called  to  the  within  report  as  one  of 
great  importance.  "  H.  G.  WRIGHT, 

"  Captain  of  Engineers,  in  charge" 

[Endorsement  No.  3.] 

"ENGINEER  OFFICE,  December  26,  1860. 
"  Have  just  seen  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  read  to  him  the 
within  letter.  His  only  remarks  in  regard  to  it  were  that  it  was 
very  satisfactory,  and  that  he  hoped,  or  thought,  I  don't  distinctly 
remember  which,  that  we  should  get  over  these  troubles  without 
bloodshed.  He  further  said  he  did  not  wish  to  retain  the  letter 
— this  in  answer  to  my  question.  "  H.  G.  W." 

Whatever  agreement  or  understanding  may  have  been  entered 
into  between  the  Government  at  Washington  and  those  who  acted 
for  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  in  regard  to  the  existing  status  in 
the  harbor  of  Charleston,  it  is  evident  that  Major  Anderson  had 
not  been  informed  of  it.  After  the  transmission  of  the  orders  of 


I QO  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  War  Department  by  Major  Buell  he  was  left  without  further 
instructions,  although  reporting  his  position  almost  daily.  The 
true  nature  of  these  orders  seemed  to  have  been  regarded  by  the 
Government  on  the  one  hand  and  Major  Anderson  on  the  other 
in  very  different  lights.  By  the  former  they  were  almost  ignored, 
the  President  himself  having  apparently  forgotten  their  existence, 
although  the  character  of  the  order  to  be  sent  was  discussed  at 
a  Cabinet  meeting  before  their  transmission  to  Major  Anderson  ; 
by  the  latter  they  were  regarded,  in  their  letter  and  spirit,  as  con- 
ferring upon  him  authority  to  act  in  case  of  "  tangible  evidence  " 
that  a  hostile  act  was  imminent,  and  of  this  he  was  to  be  the 
judge.  Major  Anderson  believed  that  he  had  such  tangible 
evidence.  What  he  heard  were  the  almost  daily  threats  that  his 
position  would  be  attacked  ;  and  these  threats  became  more 
numerous  and  more  positive  after  the  State  had  passed  the  Ordi- 
nance of  Secession.  He  knew  that  he  could  not  long  defend 
himself.  What  he  saw  was  the  nightly  watch  upon  him  lest  he 
should  transfer  his  command  to  the  stronger  and  safer  position  of 
Fort  Sumter.  It  was  this  latter  action  on  the  part  of  the  State 
authorities — wholly  in  violation  of  any  agreement  that  might  have 
been  made — that  impressed  him  beyond  all  others  and  mainly 
influenced  his  actions.  Upon  the  i4th  of  December  he  wrote  to 
a  personal  friend  as  follows  :* 

"  When  I  inform  you  that  my  garrison  consists  of  only  sixty 
effective  men,  that  we  are  in  a  very  indefensible  work,  the  walls  of 
which  are  only  about  fourteen  feet  high,  and  that  we  have  within 
100  yards  of  our  walls,  sand-hills  which  command  our  work,  and 
which  afford  admirable  sites  for  their  batteries  and  the  finest 
covers  for  sharpshooters,  and  that  besides  this  there  are  numerous 
houses,  som»i  of  them  within  pistol-shot — you  will  at  once  see  that 
if  attacked  in  force,  headed  by  any  one  not  a  simpleton,  there  is 
scarcely  a  probability  of  our  being  able  to  hold  out  long  enough 
to  enable  our  friends  to  come  to  our  succor. 

"  Trusting  that,  etc., 
(Signed.)  "  ROBERT  ANDERSON." 

He  had  never  ceased  to  urge  upon  the  Government  the  necessity 
of  action  in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter.  His  opinions  in  regard  to  the 
importance  of  that  work,  the  impossibility  of  any  occupancy  of  the 
harbor  by  the  Government  troops  should  the  State  seize  and  gar- 
rison it,  and  his  desire  to  occupy  it,  were  no  secrets  to  his  officers. 

*  From  the  Richmond  Whig,  December  24,  1860. 


SOUTH  CAROLINA  COMMISSIONERS. 

On  Monday,  the  24th  of  December,  the  Commissioners  appoint- 
ed by  the  Convention  on  the  2ist,  the  day  following  the  passage 
of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  proceeded  to  Washington  to  treat 
with  the  Government  for  the  delivery  of  the  forts  and  public  prop- 
erty within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  to  negotiate  generally  in 
regard  to  the  existing  relations  of  the  parties. 

The  object  of  their  mission  was  generally  known,  and  Major 
Anderson  had  become  convinced,  as  he  had  reported  to  his 
Government,  that  upon  the  success  or  failure  of  their  mission  an 
immediate  attack  upon  him  depended.  It  was  the  intention  of  the 
State  authorities,  and  tacitly  approved  by  the  general  sentiment 
of  the  people,  that,  the  present  status  being  preserved,  there  should 
be  no  authorized  attack  upon  the  public  property  until  the  Com- 
missioners formally  sent  by  the  Convention  to  Washington  should 
have  failed  in  their  effort  at  negotiation.  The  apprehension  enter- 
tained in  some  quarters  of  mob  action,  and  even  alleged  by  the 
President  himself,  had  no  place  in  the  calculations  of  those  who 
were  now  guiding  the  course  of  the  State.  Mob  law  or  its 
measures  were  unknown  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  tone  and 
temper  of  those  in  control  were  too  well  known  to  encourage  its 
existence  now.  The  earnestness  of  the  authorities  and  people  of 
the  State  seemed  to  have  impressed  itself  more  forcibly  upon 
Major  Anderson  since  the  visit  of  Major  Buell  and  the  departure 
of  the  Commissioners  to  Washington,  and  he  felt  that  upon  him 
mainly  the  responsibility  of  a  conflict  seemed  to  rest.  A  change 
in  his  manner  was  evident  to  the  officers  about  him,  who  inferred 
the  reception  of  unwelcome  news.  His  whole  desire  was  to  avoid 
bloodshed,  and  he  believed  that  if  he  and  his  command,  as  the 
offending  feature,  were  removed  to  a  position  of  greater  safety  and 
more  enlarged  control,  the  issue  would  be  at  least  postponed. 
When,  then,  the  Commissioners  had  been  formally  sent  to  Wash- 
ington by  the  Convention,  Anderson  anticipated  their  reception 
and  the  rejection  of  their  proposals  by  the  Government;  and 
believing  that  the  critical  moment  as  to  his  positition  had  come, 
he  resolved  to  take  advantage  of  the  "tangible  evidence"  he 
believed  he  had,  and  to  act  under  the  plain  instructions  given  to 
him  through  Major  Buell.  His  determination  to  transfer  his 
command  to  Fort  Sumter  was  accordingly  taken,  and  he  proceeded 
to  execute  it. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Major  Anderson  moves  his  command  from  Moultrie  to  Sumter  on  December  26, 
1860  —Excitement  produced —Crowds  come  to  the  Island — Threats  in  con- 
sequence of  movement — Governor  sends  Commissioners  to  Major  Anderson 
• — Orders  Major  Anderson  to  return — His  refusal — Details  of  the  interview 
— Commissioners  return  to  Charleston — Raising  the  flag  on  Fort  Sumter — 
The  ceremonies. 

THE  morning  of  the  26th  of  December  brought  with  it  no 
apparent  change  in  the  relative  status  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston. 
The  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie,  following  its  ordinary  routine  of 
duty,  were  early  at  work  in  carrying  out  the  preliminary  instruc- 
tions of  Major  Anderson  before  his  movement. 

The  large  number  of  women  and  children  of  the  garrison 
and  the  necessary  supplies  were  to  be  transferred  apparently  to 
Fort  Johnson,  an  old  barrack  on  the  western  shore  of  the  harbor. 
The  hospital,  which  had  been  established  outside  of  Fort  Moul- 
trie, was  moved  into  the  fort.  Rumors  were  rife  that  a  selection 
of  the  troops  to  make  the  attack  upon  Fort  Moultrie  had  been 
determined  upon  in  the  city.  To  meet  this,  an  order  assigning 
to  each  officer  his  duty  was  read  upon  parade. 

Christmas  of  1860,  with  its  attendant  festivities,  had  come. 
Taking  advantage  of  the  day,  as  likely  to  divert  from  him  tempo- 
rarily the  close  scrutiny  under  which  he  had  labored  for  so  long, 
Major  Anderson  pushed  forward  the  preparations  for  the  move- 
ment he  had  determined  upon,  under  the  disguise  of  preparation 
for  action  ;  his  intention  being  to  accomplish  his  movement  on 
Christmas  Day,  which  was  only  prevented  by  rain.  Orders  were 
given  for  the  immediate  packing  up  of  all  articles  considered 
essential  in  the  transfer  to  Fort  Johnson,  and  to  all  outward 
appearances  the  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie  seemed  to  be  on  the 
very  eve  of  action. 

A  feeling  prevailed  that  this  movement  was  only  preliminary  to 
a  conflict,  and  the  co-operation  of  the  men  was  actively  manifested. 

Work  upon  the  defenses  went  on  with  its  accustomed  vigor, 
and  that  upon  Fort  Moultrie  was  fast  approaching  completion.  In 
Fort  Sumter  150  men  were  actively  at  work  under  the  engineer 


PR  E  PAR  A  TION  FOR  MOVEMENT. 


103 


officer  in  charge,  and  at  Castle  Pinckney  the  necessary  repairs 
were  being  rapidly  pushed  forward.  To  ensure  secrecy  in  the 
movement,  Major  Anderson  had  not  communicated  his  intention 
to  any  of  his  officers  until  their  co-operation  and  assistance  were 
indispensable.  As  the  principal  means  of  transportation  for  the 
troops  were  the  boats  in  use  by  the  Engineer  Department  at  Fort 
Sumter  and  Castle  Pinckney,  and  the  assistance  of  the  officers  of 
that  department  was  important,  Lieutenants  Snyder  and  Meade, 
the  officers  in  charge  of  those  works,  were  early  informed  of  his 
purpose  and  intention.  By  noon  the  women  and  children  had 
embarked  upon  the  two  lighters  in  readiness  at  the  wharf  at  Sul- 
livan's Island.  The  provisions  for  four  months  had  been  put  on 
board,  and  Lieutenant  Hall,  the  adjutant  of  the  post,  who  had 
been  put  in  charge  by  Major  Anderson,  received,  for  the  first 
time,  his  orders  to  proceed  towards  Fort  Johnson.  He  was  not 
to  land,  but  to  await  the  firing  of  two  signal  guns  from  Fort  Moul- 
trie,  when  he  was  to  make  all  sail  for  Fort  Sumter,  as  the 
report  of  those  guns  would  inform  him  that  the  command  had 
safely  arrived  there.  The  unusual  number  of  lighters  (three)  at 
the  wharf  had  attracted  attention. 

.  Two  citizens  presented  themselves  to  watch  the  operations. 
They  followed  the  movements  of  Lieutenant  Hall  everywhere 
except  into  the  fort  itself,  and  finally  demanded  of  him  the  reason 
for  the  transfer  of  so  large  an  amount  of  provisions.  An  evasive 
answer  was  given,  when  the  men  left  at  once  for  the  steamer  for 
Charleston,  which  postponed  its  departure  until  the  lighters  had 
left.  Through  an  oversight,  one  box  marked  "  A  thousand  ball 
cartridges  "  had  been  put  on  board.  A  boat  of  the  Chief  Engi- 
neer came  to  the  lighter,  which  had  grounded,  and  removed  the 
box,  and  this  action  seemed  to  satisfy  another  citizen,  who  had 
watched  the  whole  operation  and  who  soon  afterwards  left.  Prep- 
arations for  the  defense  of  the  work  went  steadily  on  through 
the  day.  Intending  to  visit  the  city,  the  writer  found  that  the 
boats  had  been  sent  on  other  duty,  when  he  crossed  to  Fort 
Sumter.  While  there  he  was  led  to  believe,  from  a  conversation 
with  the  officer  in  charge,  that  something  unusual  might  be  expected 
to  occur,  and  he  was  earnestly  advised  to  return  to  Fort  Moultrie 
and  remain  there.*  Upon  reaching  the  fort  he  joined  Major 

*"  Crawford,"  said  he,  "  go  back  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  don't  take  your 
eyes  off  Anderson." 


IO4  TH2  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Anderson  upon  the  parapet  of  the  work  looking  seaward.  A  large 
steamer  of  the  Savannah  line  was  passing  southward  in  the  offing. 
She  had  arrested  her  course  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  enter  the 
harbor.  The  attention  of  Major  Anderson  was  called  to  it  by  the 
writer.  Anderson  watched  the  steamer  with  great  earnestness, 
when,  turning  to  the  writer  he  said:  "I  hope  she  will  not  attempt 
to  come  in.  It  would  greatly  embarrass  me.  I  intend  to  move 
to  Fort  Sumter  to  night."  Enjoining  the  utmost  secrecy  as  to  his 
statement,  he  replied,  in  answer  to  a  question  as  to  the  disposition 
to  be  made  of  the  hospital  department,  that  he  had  determined  to 
leave  it  in  the  fort  as  it  was,  until  the  next  morning ;  that  it  was 
less  likely  to  be  disturbed  in  case  of  any  interference  by  the 
troops  of  the  State  than  other  interests  which  it  was  important  to 
transfer  at  once.  The  defensive  preparations  went  on  steadily 
until  "  retreat  roll-call  " — when  the  order  was  given  to  evacuate 
the  fort.  Shortly  after  dusk  the  movement  began.  The  sea  was 
still,  the  moon  shining  brightly.  Three  six-oared  barges  and  two 
four-oared  boats  were  in  readiness  on  the  beach  below  the  fort. 
Half  an  hour  before  starting,  Major  Anderson  sent  for  Captain 
Doubleday,  whose  company  formed  part  of  the  garrison,  and 
informed  him  of  his  intention  to  transfer  his  command  to  Fort 
Sumter ;  that  he  wished  him  to  have  twenty  men  under  arms, 
with  knapsacks,  to  go  in  the  first  boat. 

Sending  his  family  with  those  of  the  other  officers  at  once  to 
safe  quarters  upon  the  island,  Captain  Doubleday  formed  his  men 
without  delay  and  marched  them  to  the  boats,  leaving  the  remain- 
der, under  the  charge  of  First  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Davis,  to  await 
transportation.  Major  Anderson  was  awaiting  the  appearance  of 
the  men  at  the  gateway  of  the  fort,  when  he  led  the  way  in  person 
to  the  boats.  The  men  entered  the  three  boats  awaiting  them, 
silently  and  in  order.  Their  arms  were  so  disposed  as  to  avoid 
attracting  attention  in  the  bright  moonlight,  and  when  all  was  in 
readiness,  Lieutenant  Snyder,  the  engineer  officer  in  charge  at 
Fort  Sumter  in  the  leading  boat,  accompanied  by  Major  Anderson 
with  the  flag  of  the  garrison,  they  pushed  off  from  shore.  They 
were  followed  by  Lieutenant  Meade,  the  engineer  officer  in  charge 
at  Castle  Pinckney,  in  his  boat,  while  Captain  Doubleday  with 
the  rest  of  the  men  followed  in  the  remaining  boat.  When 
half-way  across  the  channel,  one  of  the  boats  which  for  several 
nights  had  been  used  as  a  guard-boat  to  cruise  between  the  forts, 


COMMAND  CROSSES  TO  FORT  SUMTER. 


105 


made  its  appearance  directly  in  the  path  of  the  rearmost  boat. 
To  avoid  her  the  boats  under  Major  Anderson  and  Lieutenant 
Meade  diverted  their  course  along  Sullivan's  Island.  Captain 
Doubleday's  boat  pushed  directly  across  and  was  the  first  to 
arrive.  For  the  moment  it  was  thought  best  to  turn  back,  but  the 
men  took  off  their  hats  and  coats,  concealing  their  arms  and  belts, 
so  as  to  give  themselves  the  appearance  of  workmen,  and  the  boat 
pushed  on.  The  steamer  passed  close  by — within  a  distance  of 
100  yards — but  instead  of  being  upon  her  ordinary  mission  she  was 
in  the  act  of  towing  a  vessel  to  the  harbor  bar.  This  was  the  only 
night  since  the  establishment  of  the  guard  that  the  service  had 
been  interrupted.  A  second  boat,  the  Emma,  lay  at  her  wharf  in 
Charleston  with  the  armed  force  on  board,  ready  to  move  down 
the  harbor  on  her  usual  tour  of  duty.  She  was  awaiting  the  orders 
which  were  regularly  transmitted  by  an  aide-de-camp  from  the 
Governor's  headquarters,  but  which,  from  some  unexplained  rea- 
son, failed  to  come  at  the  usual  hour,  and  the  boat  was  still  at 
her  dock  when  the  signal  guns  were  fired  from  Moultrie.  The 
officers  on  board  thought  that  they  had  been  forgotten,  when, 
after  the  shots  were  fired,  Colonel  Pettigrew,  an  aide-de-camp  of 
the  Governor,  came  hastily  to  the  boat  and  asked  for  an  explana- 
tion of  the  firing,  and  at  once  ordered  her  upon  her  mission.  But 
it  was  then  too  late;  the  command  had  crossed  without  interrup- 
tion, which,  had  the  guard-boat  been  present  at  her  usual  hour  and 
carried  out  her  orders,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  accom- 
plish. Upon  reaching  Fort  Sumter  the  command  disembarked 
amid  the  surprise  and  protests  of  the  workmen,  who  gathered 
about  the  boat  and  demanded  the  reason  for  the  presence  of  the 
soldiers.  Many  of  them  wore  the  secession  cockade.  Captain 
Doubleday  landed  his  men,  formed  them,  and  advanced  into  the 
work.  One  of  the  workmen  approached  the  sentinel,  cheering 
for  the  Union.  He  was  at  once  checked,  ordered  into  the  fort, 
and  all  noise  forbidden.  Half  of  the  command  that  had  arrived 
were  put  at  once  on  guard.  Sentinels  were  placed  over  the  main 
gate  outside  and  in,  and  upon  the  ramparts,  as  it  was  apprehended 
that  a  disturbance  might  arise  among  the  workmen.  The  boats 
returned  at  once  for  the  remainder  of  the  troops.  At  Fort  MouU 
trie  the  greatest  caution  was  used  as  the  boats  passed^and  returned. 
In  accordance  with  the  special  instructions  of  Major  Anderson 
two  of  the  heavy  guns  bearing  upon  the  channel  towards  Fort 


IO6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Sumter,  had  been  loaded,  and  orders  given  to  Captain  Foster,  who 
had  been  left  in  charge  at  Fort  Moultrie,  that  if  there  should  be 
any  attempt  to  interfere  with  the  passage  of  the  boats  upon  the 
part  of  the  guard-boat,  he  was  to  fire  upon  her.  As  the  guard- 
boat  approached  she  was  recognized  at  once.  It  was  the  Nina, 
and  her  appearance  was  familiar  to  us.  It  was  a  moment  of  sus- 
pense, as  those  who  were  left  immediately  manned  the  guns,  which 
were  trailed  directly  upon  a  point  she  must  pass.  Directing  our 
glasses  upon  her,  the  writer  discovered,  as  she  crossed  the  broad 
belt  of  moonlight  that  stretched  across  the  channel,  that  she  was  in 
the  act  of  towing  a  vessel.  This  was  at  once  made  known,  and  she 
was  allowed  to  pass.  Captain  Doubleday's  boat  crossed  her  bow 
within  100  yards,  and  rising  and  sinking  upon  the  swell  of  the 
sea,  she  was  soon  lost  to  view  in  the  dark  shadow  of  the  fort. 
Three  trips  were  made  by  the  boat,  including  one  for  the  bedding 
and  other  articles  for  immediate  use.  The  last  boat  had  now 
passed  over  without  molestation,  when  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
vious instructions  of  Major  Anderson,  two  signal  guns  were  fired 
from  Fort  Moultrie,  the  writer  firing  the  second.  The  report  of 
these  guns  was  to  announce  to  Lieutenant  Hall — who,  in  command 
of  the  lighters  with  the  women,  children  and  stores  on  board,  was 
now  off  Fort  Johnson — the  transference  of  the  command  to  Fort 
Sumter  and  his  duty  to  make  all  sail  for  that  work.  Lieutenant 
Hall  acted  with  promptness,  although  not  without  the  opposition 
of  a  captain  of  one  of  the  lighters,  who  refused  to  proceed  to 
Fort  Sumter  and  only  yielded  to  force.  All  had  now  been  ac- 
complished, and  by  eight  o'clock  the  entire  command  at  Fort 
Moultrie  had  been  successfully  transferred  within  the  walls  of 
Fort  Sumter.  Immediately  after  the  transfer  of  his  command 
Major  Anderson  made  the  following  report  to  his  Government: 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  South  Carolina, 

"  December  16,  1860. 
-COLONEL:  «  8  r  :  M. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  I  have  just  completed,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  the  removal  to  this  fort  of  all  my  garrison, 
except  the  surgeon,  four  non-commissioned  officers  and  seven 
men.  We  have  one  year's  supply  of  hospital  stores  and  about  four 
months'  supply  of  provisions  for  my  command.  I  left  orders  to 
have  all  the  guns  at  Fort  Moultrie  spiked,  and  the  carriages  of 
the  32-pounders,  which  are  old,  destroyed.  I  have  sent  orders  to 
Captain  Foster,  who  remains  at  Fort  Moultrie,  to  destroy  all  the 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  GUN  CARRIAGES.  iO7 

ammunition  which  he  cannot  send  over.  The  step  which  I  have 
taken  was,  in  my  opinion,  necessary  to  prevent  the  effusion  of 
blood. 

"  Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"Major  First  Artillery. 
"  Colonel  S.  COOPER,  Adjutant-General." 

But  the  firing  of  the  signal  guns  was  not  the  only  duty  con- 
fided to  the  officers  left  at  Fort  Moultrie.  When  the  command 
had  crossed,  the  further  instructions  of  Major  Anderson  were 
complied  with.  The  guns  in  the  entire  battery  were  spiked  and 
rendered  temporarily  useless,  and  the  flag-staff  was  so  cut  as  to 
break  in  its  fall  upon  the  parapet  and  fall  into  the  ditch.  The 
writer  then  left  the  work  and  crossed  to  Fort  Sumter.  Lieutenant 
Davis,  who  with  the  remainder  of  Captain  Doubleday's  company 
had  followed  the  command,  returned  to  Fort  Moultrie  for  some 
personal  effects  and  remained  with  Captain  Foster  during  the 
night.  A  detail  of  four  non-commissioned  officers  and  seven  men 
were  left  to  assist  Captain  Foster  in  carrying  out  the  instructions 
of  Major  Anderson.  The  night  passed  without  incident.  Soon 
after  the  transference  of  this  command,  the  guard-boat  Emma, 
with  its  armed  force  on  board,  made  its  appearance,  long  after  its 
accustomed  hour,  and  took  up  its  position  near  the  forts.  It 
remained  during  the  night,  apparently  unaware  that  its  mission 
had  ended. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  z;th  the  writer  returned  to  Fort 
Moultrie  for  the  purpose  of  directing  the  transfer  of  the  hospital 
department  to  Fort  Sumter.  Upon  approaching  the  work  a  heavy 
column  of  smoke  appeared  above  the  parapet.  Upon  entering,  it 
was  found  that  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  Major  Anderson 
the  gun-carriages  which  supported  the  heavy  armament  in  the 
southwest  angle  of  the  work,  and  which  bore  directly  upon  Fort 
Sumter,  were  in  process  of  destruction.  Two  had  already  been 
set  on  fire  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Foster  and  Lieutenant 
Davis,  who  were  assisted  by  the  writer  in  the  destruction  of  the 
remainder,  five  of  the  guns  thus  falling  from  their  beds  upon  the 
parapet.  The  day  was  passed  in  transferring  to  the  lighters 
which  had  returned  to  Fort  Moultrie  a  large  supply  of  ammuni- 
tion, and  the  entire  hospital  department  with  its  one  year's 
supply  of  stores,  leaving  one  month's  and  a  half  supply  of  pro- 


IO8  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

visions,  the  entire  supply  of  fuel,  a  small  quantity  of  ammunition 
and  some  personal  effects  of  the  men.  As  the  seizure  of  the 
arsenal  in  Charleston  and  the  forts  in  the  harbor  by  the  troops  of 
the  State  was  in  progress,  great  anxiety  arose  for  the  safety  of 
the  lighters.  One  of  them,  with  the  ammunition  and  the  hospital 
property  on  board,  had  left  the  wharf  before  noon,  but  had  been 
becalmed,  and  it  was  feared  that  she  would  be  seized,  when  Major 
Anderson  directed  Lieutenant  Hall  to  proceed  in  one  of  the  boats 
with  a  few  men  to  remove  her  freight.  The  boat's  crew  of  work- 
men refused  to  take  him  on  such  an  errand,  when  shortly  after 
the  lighter  arrived  safely  at  the  fort. 

Meantime,  it  soon  became  known  that  some  extraordinary 
action  upon  the  part  of  the  garrison  at  Fort  Moultrie  had  taken 
place.  An  intense  excitement  followed,  which  soon  spread  to 
Charleston  and  through  the  State.  It  was  some  time  before 
what  had  exactly  occurred  was  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  Sul- 
livan's Island,  but  the  deserted  parapet,  the  barred  entrance,  the 
missing  flag-staff,  the  heavy  smoke-cloud  hanging  over  the  fort, 
and  the  sudden  suspension  of  the  work,  all  indicated  some  change 
of  an  unusual  character.  A  rumor  had  been  spread  that  Fort 
Moultrie  was  in  flames,  and  every  boat  that  came  to  the  island 
brought  crowds  of  excited  people.  Men  connected  with  the  lead- 
ing papers  came  down,  anxiously  inquiring  as  to  the  truth  of  the 
many  rumors,  until  now  unbelieved;  crowds  hung  around  the  work 
all  day,  commenting  upon  the  action  of  Major  Anderson  and 
threatening  immediate  attack. 

In  Fort  Sumter  the  sudden  arrival  of  the  command  produced 
a  decided  impression  among  the  workmen.  On  the  i5th  of 
December  a  meeting  had  been  held  among  themselves,  and  they 
had  determined  that  they  would  take  no  part  in  any  contest  with 
the  troops  of  the  State.  The  sudden  seizure  of  the  fort  con- 
vinced them  that  a  struggle  was  imminent,  and  many  of  them  left 
the  work  and  returned  to  Charleston. 

Meantime,  the  fact  of  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Moultrie  by 
Major  Anderson  was  soon  communicated  to  the  authorities  and 
people  of  Charleston,  creating  intense  excitement.  Crowds  col- 
lected in  the  streets  and  open  places  of  the  city,  and  loud  and 
violent  were  the  expressions  of  feeling  against  Major  Anderson 
and  his  action.  Military  organizations  paraded  the  streets,  and 
threats  were  made  that  they  would  be  heard  from  before  twenty- 


THE  GOVERNOR'S  ACTIOtf.  109 

four  hours,  and  that  bloodshed  was  now  unavoidable.  Anderson 
was  pronounced  a  traitor,  and  it  was  claimed  that  his  act  would 
concentrate  the  South.  The  Governor  of  the  State  was  ready  to 
act  in  accordance  with  the  feeling  displayed.  On  the  morning 


MAJOR  ANDERSON'S  QUARTERS,  FORT  SUMTER. 

of  the  2;th  he  despatched  his  aide-de-camp,  Colonel  Johnson 
Pettigrew,  of  the  First  South  Carolina  Rifles,  to  Major  Anderson. 
He  was  accompanied  by  Major  Ellison  Capers,  of  his  regiment. 
Arriving  at  Fort  Sumter,  Colonel  Pettigrew  sent  a  card  inscribed, 


I  10  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  Colonel  Pettigrew,  First  Regiment  Rifles,  S.  C.  M.,  Aide-de- 
camp to  the  Governor,  Commissioner  to  Major  Anderson.  Elli- 
son Capers,  Major  First  Regiment  Rifles,  S.  C.  M."  Major 
Anderson,  with  his  officers,  was  in  a  small  room  in  the  second  story 
of  the  officers'  quarters  in  the  gorge  of  the  work,  where  they  had 
passed  the  night.  Colonel  Pettigrew  and  his  companions  were 
ushered  into  the  room.  The  greeting  was  reserved  and  formal, 
when,  after  declining  seats,  Colonel  Pettigrew  immediately  opened 
his  mission. 

"  Major  Anderson,"  said  he,  "  can  I  communicate  with  you 
now,  sir,  before  these  officers,  on  the  subject  for  which  I  am  here  •"' 

"Certainly,  sir,"  replied  Major  Anderson  ;  "these  are  all  my 
officers  ;  I  have  no  secrets  from  them,  sir." 

The  Commissioner  then  informed  Major  Anderson  that  he 
was  directed  to  say  to  him  that  the  Governor  was  much  surprised 
that  he  had  reinforced  "  this  work."  Major  Anderson  promptly 
responded  that  there  had  been  no  reinforcement  of  the  work  ; 
that  he  had  moved  his  command  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter,  as  he  had  a  right  to  do,  being  in  command  of  all  the  forts 
in  the  harbor. 

To  this  Colonel  Pettigrew  replied  that  when  the  present  Gov- 
ernor (Pickens)  came  into  office,  he  found  an  understanding 
existing  between  the  previous  Governor  (Gist)  and  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  by  which  all  property  within  the  limits  of 
the  State  was  to  remain  as  it  was  ;  that  no  reinforcements  were  to 
be  sent  here,  and  particularly  to  this  post ;  and  that  there  was  to 
be  no  attempt  made  against  the  public  property  here  by  the  State; 
and  that  the  status  in  the  harbor  should  remain  unchanged.  He 
was  directed,  also,  to  say  to  Major  Anderson  that  it  had  been 
hoped  by  the  Governor  that  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties 
could  have  been  reached,  and  that  a  resort  to  arms  and  bloodshed 
might  have  been  avoided  ;  but  that  the  Governor  thought  that 
the  action  of  Major  Anderson  had  greatly  complicated  matters  ; 
and  that  he  did  not  now  see  how  bloodshed  could  be  avoided  ; 
that  he  had  desired,  and  intended,  that  the  whole  matter  might  be 
fought  oat  politically  and  without  the  arbitration  of  the  sword, 
but  that  now  it  was  uncertain,  if  not  impossible. 

To  this  Major  Anderson  replied  that,  as  far  as  any  under- 
standing between  the  President  and  the  Governor  of  the  State 
was  concerned,  he  had  not  been  informed  ;  that  he  knew  nothing 


SENDS  COMMISSIONERS  TO  ANDERSON.  \  \  \ 

of  it,  that  he  could  get  no  information  or  positive  orders  from 
Washington,  and  that  his  position  was  threatened  every  night  by 
the  troops  of  the  State.  He  was  then  asked  by  Major  Capers, 
who  accompanied  Colonel  Pettigrew,  "  How?"  when  he  replied, 
"  By  sending  out  steamers  armed  and  carrying  troops  on  board; 
that  these  steamers  passed  the  fort  going  north;  and  that  he 
feared  a  landing  on  the  island  and  the  occupation  of  the  sand- 
hills just  north  of  the  fort ;  and  that  one  hundred  riflemen  on 
that  hill,  which  commanded  his  fort,  would  make  it  impossible 
for  his  men  to  serve  their  guns;  and  that  any  man  with  a  military 
head  must  see  this.  To  prevent  this  "  (said  he,  earnestly)  "  I 
removed  on  my  own  responsibility,  my  sole  object  being  to  pre- 
vent bloodshed." 

Major  Capers  replied  that  the  steamer  was  sent  out  for  patrol 
purposes,  and  as  much  to  prevent  disorder  among  his  own  people 
as  to  ascertain  whether  any  irregular  attempt  was  being  made  to 
reinforce  the  fort,  and  that  the  idea  of  attacking  him  "  was  never 
entertained  by  the  little  squad  who  patroled  the  harbor." 
Major  Anderson  replied  to  this,  that  he  was  totally  in  the  dark  as 
to  the  intentions  of  the  State  troops,  but  that  he  had  reason  to 
believe  that  they  meant  to  land  and  attack  him  from  the  north; 
that  the  desire  of  the  Governor  to  have  the  matter  settled  peace- 
fully and  without  bloodshed  was  precisely  his  own  object  in 
transferring  his  command  to  Fort  Sumter  ;  that  he  did  it  upon 
his  own  responsibility  alone,  and  because  he  considered  that  the 
safety  of  his  command  required  it,  and  as  he  had  the  right  to  do. 
"  In  this  controversy  "  said  he,  "  between  the  North  and  the 
South,  my  sympathies  are  entirely  with  the  South.  These  gentle- 
men," said  he  (turning  to  the  officers  of  the  post  who  stood  about 
him),  "  know  it  perfectly  well."  And  he  added  that  his  sense  of 
duty  to  his  trust  as  commander  in  the  harbor  was  first  with  him, 
and  had  influenced  his  determination  to  do  his  duty  to  the 
Government.  Colonel  Pettigrew  then  replied,  "  Well,  sir,  how- 
ever that  may  be,  the  Governor  of  the  State  directs  me  to  say  to 
you,  courteously  but  peremptorily,  to  return  to  Fort  Moultrie." 
"  Make  my  compliments  to  the  Governor,  and  say  to  him  that  I 
decline  to  accede  to  his  request;  I  cannot  and  will  not  go  back," 
said  Major  Anderson.  "  Then,  sir,"  said  Colonel  Pettigrew,  "  my 
business  is  done  ; "  when  both  of  the  officers,  without  further  cere- 
mony or  leave-taking,  left  the  fort. 


I  I  2  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  statement  of  Major  Anderson  as  to  his  sympathies  made 
a  strong  impression  upon  the  officers  who  had  borne  the  message 
of  the  Governor,  and  to  whom  they  repeated  his  words.  The 
manner  of  Major  Anderson,  while  earnest,  was  courteous  through- 
out the  interview,  and  he  entirely  impressed  the  messengers  that 
he  was  really  most  anxious  to  prevent  bloodshed,  and  that  the 
movement  had  been  made,  upon  his  part,  with  that  view. 

At  fifteen  minutes  before  noon  the  command  at  Fort  Sum- 
ter  was  ordered  to  parade.  The  band  was  placed  upon  the 
ramparts  ;  the  command  and  guard  were  drawn  up  near  the 
flag-staff,  forming  one  side  of  a  square,  the  workmen  of  the 
fort,  150  in  number,  forming  the  other  sides  ;  Major  Ander- 
son by  the  flag-staff  with  the  halyards  in  his  hand.  The  chaplain 
of  the  post  stood  in  front,  near  the  centre.  When  all  was  ready 
the  command  was  brought  to  a  "  parade  rest"  and  everyone  uncov- 
ered. The  chaplain  made  a  prayer,  in  which,  after  expressing 
gratitude  to  God  for  our  safe  arrival  in  the  work,  he  prayed  that 
our  flag  might  never  be  dishonored,  but  soon  float  again  over  the 
whole  country,  a  peaceful  and  prosperous  nation.  When  the 
prayer  was  finished,  Major  Anderson,who  had  been  kneeling,  arose, 
the  battalion  presented  arms,  the  band  played  the  National  Air, 
and  the  flag  went  to  the  head  of  the  flag-staff,  amid  the  loud  and 
earnest  huzzas  of  the  command. 


CHAPTER  XT. 

Seizure  and  occupancy  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  by  the  State — Lieutenant 
Meade  at  Castle  Pinckney — United  States  Custom  House  occupied  by  the 
State— Lieutenant  Snyder  sent  on  a  special  mission  to  the  Governor — Inter- 
view— Memorandum  of  the  Governor — Colonel  Huger — State  guard  over  the 
arsenal — Seizure  and  occupancy  of  the  arsenal — Seizure  of  Fort  Johnson — 
Location  of  sites  for  batteries  to  control  the  entrance  to  the  harbor — Star  of 
the  West  battery  located — The  Governor  reports  his  action  to  the  Convention. 

UPON  the  return  of  his  messenger  with  the  refusal  of  Major 
Anderson  to  return  to  Fort  Moultrie,  the  Governor  of  the 
State  at  once  proceeded  to  seize  and  occupy  by  military  force 
the  forts  in  the  harbor  and  the  arsenal  in  the  city  of  Charleston. 
His  aide-de-camp  who  had  carried  his  demand  to  Major  Ander- 
son was  ordered  by  him  to  assemble  the  Washington  Light 
Infantry  and  the  Meagher  Guards  at  the  citadel  in  the  city,  to  arm 
them  there,  and  to  take  measures  for  occupying  Castle  Pinckney. 
He  was  to  proceed  under  the  following  instructions: 

"  HEADQUARTERS, 
"CHARLESTON,  December  27,  1860 
"  To  COLONEL  J.  J.  PETTIGREW, 

"Sir  :  You  are  ordered  to  take  possession  of  Castle  Pinckney. 
You  are  to  act  with  the  greatest  discretion  and  prudence,  and  to 
let  it  be  known  that  you  take  possession  in  the  name  of  the  Gov- 
ernor of  South  Carolina,  and  in  consequence  of  the  extraordinary 
orders  executed  last  night  in  relation  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  with 
a  view  at  present  to  prevent  further  destruction  of  public  prop- 
erty, and  as  a  measure  of  safety  also. 

(Signed)  "  F.  W.  PICKENS." 

A  similar  order  was  issued  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  G.  De 
Saussure,  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Artillery,  instructing  him  to  take 
possession  of  Sullivan's  Island  immediately  after  the  seizure  of 
Castle  Pinckney.  In  accordance  with  his  instructions,  Colonel 
Pettigrew  embarked  a  force  consisting  of  the  Washington  Light 
Infantry,  Captain  Simonton,  the  Carolina  Light  Infantry,  and  the 
Meagher  Guards  upon  a  small  transport  and  proceeded  to  Castle 
Pinckney,  where,  under  the  engineer  officer  in  charge,  Lieutenant 

"3 


I  14  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

R.  K.  Meade,  the  work  of  repair  was  steadily  going  on.  About 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  boat  approached  the  work,  when 
the  officer  in  charge  immediately  closed  and  barred  the  main  gate. 
The  workmen,  in  alarm,  rushed  to  the  parapet,  but  were  at  once 
ordered  to  their  quarters.  Meantime,  the  force  had  landed,  a 
portion  of  them  proceeding  to  the  main  gate,  which  they  found 
closed.  A  party  with  their  rifles  stood  watching  the  parapet, 
while  the  remainder,  placing  the  ladders  they  had  brought 
against  the  walls,  commenced  an  escalade.  The  commanding 
officer,  Colonel  Pettigrew,  led  the  ascent ;  stepping  upon  the 
parapet  he  encountered  Lieutenant  Meade,  who  approached 
him,  when  he  demanded  to  know  who  was  the  commanding  officer 
of  the  work.  Lieutenant  Meade  replied  that  he  was  that  officer, 
when  Colonel  Pettigrew  informed  him  that  he  had  been  com- 
manded by  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  to  take  charge  of  the 
work  in  the  name  of  the  State. 

Producing  his  orders,  he  commenced  to  read  them,  when  he 
was  interrupted  by  Lieutenant  Meade,  who  said  to  him  that  he  did 
I*  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  Governor  to  take  possession 
o.  the  work  ;  that  he  had  no  means  of  resistance,  and  could  but 
enter  his  protest  against  any  such  proceedings.  Colonel  Petti- 
grew informed  him  that  he  was  acting  under  the  orders  of  the 
Governor,  and  would  give  receipts  for  the  public  property.  Lieu- 
tenant Meade  replied  that  as  he  did  not  acknowledge  the  authority 
of  the  Governor  he  declined  to  accept  his  receipts.  Colonel 
Pettigrew,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Meade,  then  descended  into 
the  parade.  Meanwhile,  the  wall  had  been  scaled  by  others,  who 
had  unbarred  the  gate,  when  the  troops  immediately  entered  and 
were  formed  upon  the  parade. 

A  sentinel  was  posted  at  once  over  the  entrance,  when  Lieu- 
tenant Meade  asked  if  his  movements  were  to  be  restrained. 
Colonel  Pettigrew  replied,  that  while  he  did  not  propose  to 
restrain  his  movements,  he  would  not  be  permitted  to  return  to 
the  post  if  he  left  it  that  night  ;  that  he  did  not  mean  to  expel 
him  from  the  post,  and  should  ask  for  further  instructions.  Lieu- 
tenant Meade  declined  to  give  his  parole,  as  he  did  not  consider 
himself  a  prisoner  of  war.  After  stipulating  for  considerate 
treatment  of  the  old  ordnance  sergeant  and  his  family,  until  they 
could  be  removed  elsewhere,  Lieutenant  Meade  left  the  work  at 
once  for  Fort  Sumter.  All  of  the  Government  property  was 


CASTLE  PINCKNEY  OCCUPIED. 


: 

!i  -Iwi't 

I  i  I 

a 


lit  1 1  n  % ,\t 

; ,  < 


/         ^  : 


1 1 6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL 

seized  and  appropriated,  including  one  month's  provisions.  With 
the  exception  of  two  or  three  heavy  guns  on  the  barbette  tier, 
and  one  42-pounder  in  casemate,  the  armament  of  the  fort  was 
complete  ;  the  magazine  was  well  supplied,  as  the  powder  from 
the  arsenal  had  been  stored  there;  and  in  this  condition  Castle 
Pinckney  passed  under  the  flag  of  the  State. 

Shortly  after  its  occupation  Lieutenant-Colonel  De  Saussure, 
in  accordance  with  the  orders  received,  having  assembled  200 
picked  men  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Artillery,  S.  C.  M.,  pro- 
ceeded to  Sullivan's  Island.  The  command  approached  Fort 
Moultrie  by  the  main  streets. 

Approaching  the  work  upon  the  west  side,  Colonel  De  Saussure 
and  a  small  guard  entered  it  and  unbarred  the  gate,, which  had 
been  closed  by  the  sergeant  or  overseer  of  the  engineer  force,  the 
solitary  guardian  of  the  work.  A  report  had  been  spread,  and 
generally  believed,  that  the  work  was  mined,  and  this  became  a 
subject  of  sensitive  inquiry  at  every  interview  held  with  the  State 
officials.  With  the  exception  of  Colonel  De  Saussure  himself  and 
a  few  of  his  men,  the  troops  of  the  State  did  not  occupy  Fort 
Moultrie  on  the  night  of  its  seizure.  In  the  morning  it  was 
occupied  permanently,  and  its  armament,  consisting  of  fifty-six* 
pieces  of  ordnance,  including  heavy  and  light  guns,  Columbiads 
and  mortars,  with  their  carriages  and  implements  and  a  large 
supply  of  ammunition  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  State. 

Both  forts  had  now  been  seiaed  and  occupied  by  the  State 
troops;  and,  as  if  to  complete  the  seizure  of  the  Government 
property,  the  officers  attached  to  the  United  States  Custom 
House,  in  obedience  to  an  ordinance  passed  by  the  Convention  on 
the  26th  of  December,  entered  into  the  service  of  the  State  and 
the  flag  of  South  Carolina  was  raised  over  the  building. 

Mail  communication  had  been  as  yet  undisturbed,  and  it  was 
deemed  important  that  the  General  Government  should  perform 
that  service  as  long  as  possible. 

Two  days  after  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  had  been  passed 
by  the  Convention,  an  order  for  $450  worth  of  postage-stamps 
was  received  at  Washington  from  the  Postmaster  at  Charleston 
for  the  use  of  that  office,  and  at  a  later  date  the  same  official 


*  Sixteen  24-pounders,  nineteen  32- pounders,  ten  8-inch  Columbiads, 
one  lo-inch  seacoast  mortar,  four  6-pounders,  two  12-pounders,  four  24-pound 
howitzers.  Lieutenant-Colonel  De  Saussure's  report,  December  31,  '60. 


LIEUTENANT  SNYDER  SENT  TO  THE  GO  VERNOR.     \  \  7 

reported  to  the  Postmaster-General  at  Washington,  to  say  that  he 
held  himself  responsible  to  the  Federal  Government  for  the 
revenue  accruing  to  his  office. 

The  rapidity  and  secrecy  of  his  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie 
had  compelled  Major  Anderson  to  leave,  temporarily,  many  of  the 
private  effects  of  the  officers  and  the  clothing  of  the  men.  The 
necessity  of  securing  these  at  once,  as  well  as  to  provide  for  the 
safety  of  the  women  and  children  of  the  command  in  case  of  an 
attack  upon  him,  induced  him  to  send  a  special  messenger  to  the 
Governor.  Accordingly,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  3oth  of 
December,  Lieutenant  Snyder  was  sent  to  the  city  with  a  commu- 
nication from  Major  Anderson.  His  boats  were  seized  by  the 
police  as  soon  as  he  had  landed.  He  found  the  Governor  at  the 
Executive  office  amid  a  party  of  gentlemen  who  appeared  to  be 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  a  council.  Lieutenant  Snyder  announced 
the  object  of  his  visit.  He  had  come,  he  said,  from  Major 
Anderson,  commanding  Fort  Sumter,  to  say  that  he  hoped,  if 
an  attack  was  to  be  made  upon  him,  that  he  should  be  informed, 
in  accordance  with  civilized  warfare,  in  time  to  remove  the  women 
and  children  and  the  non-combatants  of  his  garrison  to  a  place 
of  safety.  He  desired  to  know,  too,  whether  the  private  effects  of 
the  officers  yet  remaining  at  Castle  Pinckney  and  Fort  Moultrie 
would  be  returned  to  them.  The  Governor  replied  that  Major 
Anderson  was  at  liberty  to  remove  the  women  and  children  to 
Sullivan's  Island,  and  he  offered  them  on  his  own  part  complete 
protection  ;  that  the  private  effects  of  the  officers  might  be 
removed  to  the  city,  and  would  be  respected;  but  that  for  the 
present  no  other  communication  would  be  allowed  between  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  and  the  city  except  to  carry  and  receive 
the  mails,  and  that  he  exacted  this  to  prevent  any  irregular 
collision  or  the  unnecessary  effusion  of  blood. 

A  memorandum  in  writing  and  signed  by  Governor  Pickens 
was  handed  to  Lieutenant  Snyder,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
copy. 

"  HEADQUARTERS, 

"December  30,  1860. 

"  In  reply  to  Major  Anderson's  request,  made  this  morning  ver- 
bally through  First  Lieutenant  Snyder  from  Fort  Sumter,  I  hereby 
order  and  direct  that  free  permission  shall  be  given  to  him  to  send 
the  ladies  and  camp  women  from  Fort  Sumter,  with  their  private 
effects,  to  any  portion  of  Sullivan's  Island,  and  that  entire  protec- 


I  1 8  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

tion  shall  be  extended  to  them.  It  is  also  agreed  that  the  mails 
may  be  sent  over  to  the  officers  at  Fort  Sumter  by  their  boats,  and 
that  all  the  ladies  of  Captain  Foster's  family  shall  be  allowed  to 
pass,  with  their  effects  and  the  effects  of  any  kind  belonging  to 
Captain  Foster,  from  the  Mills  House  to  Fort  Sumter,  and  the 
kindest  regard  shall  be  paid  to  them.  Of  course,  Lieutenant 
Meade's  private  effects  can  be  taken  possession  of,  but  for  the 
present  there  shall  be  no  communication  of  any  other  kind 
allowed  from  the  city  to  the  fort,  or  any  transportation  of  arms 
or  ammunition,  or  any  supplies  to  the  fort  ;  and  this  is  done  with 
a  view  to  prevent  irregular  collisions,  and  to  spare  the  unneces- 
sary effusion  of  blood. 

"  F.  W.  PICKENS." 

The  Governor  then  asked  if  Lieutenant  Snyder  was  of  the 
opinion  that  Major  Anderson  would  return  to  Fort  Moultrie  if 
ordered  by  the  President.  Lieutenant  Snyder  replied  that  Major 
Anderson  would  promptly  obey  any  order  of  the  President. 
Would  his  second  in  command,  if  ordered  by  himself  (the  Gov- 
ernor)? Lieutenant  Snyder  thought  not,  and  expressed  the  opinion 
that  there  was  no  officer  there  who,  if  it  devolved  upon  him,  would 
return  to  Fort  Moultrie  if  ordered  by  the  Governor. 

In  the  city  there  was  great  excitement.  Upon  returning  to 
the  boats  nothing  was  allowed  shipment  but  the  baggage.  The 
fresh  meats  and  stores  which  had  been  put  on  board  in  Charleston 
were  removed. 

Upon  the  same  day  Lieutenant  Hall  was  sent  by  Major  Ander- 
son to  the  officer  in  command  of  Fort  Moultrie.  He  was  to 
demand  by  what  authority  he  had  occupied  that  work.  He  was 
to  ask,  also,  if  any  obstacle  would  be  opposed  to  the  removal  of 
the  private  effects  of  the  officers  and  the  clothing  of  the  men, 
with  the  wood  and  coal  left  there. 

The  commanding  officer,  Colonel  W.  G.  De  Saussure,  replied 
that  he  occupied  that  work  in  the  name  of  the  sovereign  State  of 
South  Carolina  and  by  the  authority  of  its  Governor.  He 
declined  to  permit  the  removal  of  any  of  the  public  property,  but 
all  private  property  would  be  respected,  and  he  would  assist  in 
its  removal.  The  public  property  he  was  ordered  to  secure, 
make  an  inventory  of  and  protect.  It  would  all  be  preserved  and 
submitted  to  the  Commissioners  to  negotiate  upon,  except  the 
provisions  left,  and  these  he  should  use. 

Colonel  De  Saussure  carried  out  his  intentions  in  a  kindly 
spirit,  allowing  no  one  to  enter  the  fort  until  the  property  had 


SEIZURE  OF  THE  ARSENAL.  j  ig 

been  collected  together  and  an  inventory  made,  with  the  expec- 
tation of  their  removal.  But  a  box  of  clothing  had  already  been 
broken  open  and  its  contents  scattered,  the  men  appropriating  the 
great-coats  of  the  soldiers  which  had  been  left.  The  movement 
of  Major  Anderson  was  remarked  by  Colonel  De  Saussure  as 
being  one  of  "  consummate  wisdom,"  in  a  military  point  of  view, 
but  that  it  would  greatly  complicate  matters.  Meantime,  owing 
to  continued  stormy  weather,  no  communication  was  held  with 
Fort  Moultrie  for  a  few  days,  when  Lieutenant  Hall  again  visited 
that  post  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  clothing  and  personal 
effects  of  the  men.  He  was  accompanied  by  Captain  Foster,  who 
crossed  for  the  purpose  of  paying  off  the  employees  that  had  been 
at  work  under  his  control  at  Fort  Moultrie.  The  commanding 
officer,  Colonel  De  Saussure,  had  not  changed  his  intention  in 
regard  to  the  subject,  and  suggested  that  these  officers  should 
return  the  next  day,  when  Captain  Foster  might  complete  his  pay- 
ments and  the  articles  in  question  be  removed. 

Meantime,  Colonel  De  Saussure  had  been  relieved  by  order  of 
the  Governor,  that  he  might  attend  to  his  civil  duties  as  a  member 
of  the  Legislature,  then  in  session  at  Charleston.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  R.  S.  Ripley  had  succeeded  him  at  Fort  Moultrie.  Brig- 
adier-General Dunovant  was  in  command  of  the  island,  and  upon 
the  following  morning,  when  Captains  Foster  and  Seymour  went 
to  the  island,  they  were  arrested  by  General  Dunovant's  order. 
They  were  subsequently  released  and  permitted  to  return  to  Sum- 
ter,  when  no  further  communication  with  Fort  Moultrie  took  place. 

Having  now  taken  possession  of  Castle  Pinckney  and  Fort 
Moultrie,  the  Governor  proceeded  to  seize  the  United  States 
arsenal  situated  in  the  midst  of  the  city  of  Charleston,  with  its 
large  and  valuable  supply  of  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores. 

The  early  possession  of  the  arsenal  had  long  been  regarded 
as  essential  to  the  success  of  the  movement  now  made  by  the 
State.  Its  defenseless  condition,  with  its  important  and  valuable 
stores,  was  well  known  to  the  Government,  and.  as  early  as  the 
month  of  November  the  War  Department  had  ordered  Brevet- 
Colonel  Benj.  Huger,  of  the  Ordnance  Department,  to  proceed 
to  Charleston  and  assume  command  of  the  arsenal.  Colonel 
Huger  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  from  his  ability,  high 
standing  and  prominent  social  relations,  he  was  deemed,  under  the 
existing  circumstances,  to  be  a  suitable  appointment.  He  was 


I  2O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

aware  of  the  views  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  it  was  believed 
that  while  he  would  maintain  peaceable  relations,  he  would  at  the 
same  time  protect  the  interests  of  the  Government.  Before 
assuming  command  on  the  2oth  inst,  he  had  visited  Columbia, 
where  he  had  held  repeated  conferences  with  the  Governor  of  the 
State. 

Upon  the  ist  of  December  Major  Anderson  was  directed  to 
confer  with  Colonel  Huger  upon  matters  which  had  been  confided 
to  each  of  them,  as  the  latter  had  been  recalled  temporarily  to 
Washington  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  For  some  unexplained 
reason  Colonel  Huger,  who  had  been  in  command  of  the  arsenal 
in  Charleston  but  ten  days,  did  not  return  to  it,  but,  under  instruc- 
tions from  the  Secretary  of  War,  resumed  his  duties  at  Pikesville, 
N.  C. ;  and  thus  the  United  States  arsenal  in  the  city  of 
Charleston,  with  its  large  and  valuable  supply  of  stores,  was  left 
without  a  commissioned  officer  of  Ordnance,  and  under  the 
charge  of  a  military  storekeeper  and  enlisted  men,  until  its  final 
and  easy  seizure  by  the  troops  of  the  State.* 

The  attempt  of  Colonel  Gardiner  to  obtain  stores  from  the 
arsenal,  and  the  sending  of  an  officer  to  secure  them,  had  greatly 
excited  the  people.  Numbers  gathered  in  the  vicinity.  Threats 
were  made  of  an  attack  upon  it,  and  a  collision  between  the 
populace  and  the  agents  of  the  Government  seemed  to  be 
unavoidable  and  imminent.  The  State  authorities  became 
anxious  to  prevent  any  premature  act  of  violence,  and  yet  were 
unwilling  to  repress  actively  the  public  feeling,  in  view  of  its 
political  effect.  It  was  under  such  circumstances  that  the 
Governor  of  the  State  (Gist),  after  an  understanding  with  Colonel 
Huger,  determined  to  establish  a  guard  of  State  troops  over  the 
arsenal,  and  upon  the  pth  of  November,  after  the  election  of 
Mr.  Lincoln  had  become  known,  a  guard,  consisting  of  an  officer 
and  twenty  men  of  the  Washington  Light  Infantry,  was  tendered 
by  the  Governor  and  was  accepted  by  the  military  storekeeper, 
who  thus  reported  to  his  chief. 


*"  Colonel  Huger  joined  the  Confederacy.  In  a  conversation  with  General 
De  Saussure,  during  the  war,  he  recalled  the  above  circumstances,  and  said 
that  he  came  to  Charleston  in  the  nature  of  an  envoy  from  Mr.  Buchanan  and 
General  Scott,  whose  '  plighted  faith1  he  had  that  the  status  should  not  be 
changed,  that  General  Scott  had  mislead  him  and  compromised  him  with  his 
people," — General  De  Saussure  to  Author, 


STA  TE  GUARD  A  T  THE  ARSENAL.  \  2  I 

"  CHARLESTON  ARSENAL,  S.  C., 

"  November  12,  1860. 
"Col   H.  K.  CRAIG, 

"  Chief  of  Ordnance,  U.  S.  A.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
"  Sir:  In  view  of  the  excitement  now  existing  in  this  city  and 
State,  and  the  possibility  of  an  insurrectionary  movement  on  the 
part  of  the  servile  population,  the  Governor  has  tendered,  through 
General  Schnierle,  of  the  South  Carolina  Militia,  a  guard,  of  a  de- 
tachment of  a  lieutenant  and  twenty  men,  for  this  post,  which  has 
been  accepted.  Trusting  that  this  course  may  meet  the  approval 
of  the  Department,  I  am,  sir, 

"Very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 
"F.  C.  HUMPHREYS, 

"Military  Storekeeper  Ordnance, 

"  Commander." 

*  The  guard  was  stationed  within  the  arsenal  enclosure,  and 
sentinels  were  posted  guarding  every  approach  from  all  sides  to 
the  buildings.  And  this  was  continued  until  the  night  of  the  23d 
of  December,  when  they  were  relieved  by  the  German  Riflemen, 
Captain  Small. 

While  the  presence  of  this  guard  might  be  relied  upon  to  pro- 
tect the  arsenal  and  its  valuable  stores  from  popular  violence,  it 
gave  equal  assurance  that  neither  arms  nor  ammunition  could  now 
be  moved  from  the  arsenal  to  any  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of 
Charleston. 

On  the  28th  of  December  the  guard  at  that  time  on  duty  was 
increased  in  numbers,  and  closed  around  the  arsenal,  refusing 
ingress  or  egress  to  any  one  without  the  countersign,  the  officer 
in  command  disclaiming  any  "  intention  of  occupancy."  The 
military  storekeeper  in  charge  at  once  telegraphed  the  fact  to  his 
chief,  sending  the  details  by  mail  and  asking  instructions. 

None  were  sent  to  him.  He  had  on  the  2pth  protested  against 
the  indignity  offered  to  him  and  his  command,  and  had  informed 
his  Government  that,  if  upon  a  proper  request  to  the  State 
authorities  the  troops  were  not  removed,  he  would  consider  their 
action  as  an  occupancy  of  the  arsenal,  and  should  haul  down  his 
flag  and  surrender.  This  communication  was  submitted  by  the 


*It  was  the  posting  of  this  guard  that  led  Governor  Pickens  to  assume  that  it 
was  done  with  the  acquiescence  of  the  President,  and  which  induced  him  to  send 
a  special  messenger  to  Washington  the  day  after  his  inauguration  to  ask  that  the 
same  authority  be  given  to  him  in  reference  to  Fort  Sumter.  The  President  had 
not  given  such  authority. 


122  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

chief  Ordnance  officer  in  Washington  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
on  the  ist  of  January.  But  meanwhile,  the  Governor  of  the  State 
had  determined  to  take  entire  possession  of  the  arsenal.  On  the 
morning  of  the  2gth  of  December,  having  selected  Colonel  John 
Cunningham,  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment  Infantry,  S.  C  M., 
for  the  service,  he  directed  him  to  take  a  detachment  of  select  men, 
in  the  "  most  discreet  and  forbearing  manner,"  and  proceed  to  the 
United  States  arsenal  in  Charleston,  and  there  demand  in  his  name 
its  "entire  possession."  He  was  to  state  "distinctly"  that  this 
was  done  with  a  view  to  prevent  any  destruction  of  public  property 
that  might  occur  in  the  present  excited  state  of  the  public  mind,  and 
also  as  due  to  the  public  safety.  He  was  to  take  an  inventory  of 
the  stores  and  of  the  condition  of  the  arms.  He  was  to  read  his 
orders  to  the  military  storekeeper  who  was  in  charge.  If  he 
refused  to  deliver  the  arsenal  to  him,  he  was  to  take  it,  using  as 
much  force  as  might  be  necessary.  Great  discretion  and  liberality 
were  to  be  used  towards  Captain  Humphreys,  who  was  at  liberty 
to  remain,  and  indeed  was  requested  to  remain,  in  his  present 
quarters  as  long  as  it  might  be  agreeable  to  him. 

On  the  3oth,  within  half  an  hour  after  the  receipt  of  the  order, 
Colonel  Cunningham,  with  a  detachment  from  the  Union  Light 
Infantry,  Captain  Ramsay,  which  was  on  duty  near  the  arsenal, 
proceeded  to  the  quarters  of  Captain  Humphreys  and  demanded, 
in  writing,  an  immediate  surrender  of  the  arsenal  under  his  charge 
and  the  delivery  to  him  of  the  keys  and  contents  of  the  arsenals, 
magazines,  etc.  He  informs  Captain  Humphreys  that  he  was 
already  proceeding  to  occupy  it  with  troops,  and  that  he  occupied 
it  in  the  name  of  the  Governor,  and  by  virtue  of  orders  from  him. 
Captain  Humphreys  replied  to  this  demand,  in  writing,  that  he  was 
constrained  to  comply  with  his  demand  for  the  surrender  of  the 
arsenal,  as  he  had  no  force  for  its  defense,  but  that  he  did  so  under 
protest.  He  demands  as  a  right  to  salute  his  flag,  and  that  his  men 
be  allowed  to  occupy  their  quarters  until  instructions  could  be 
obtained  from  the  War  Department.  This  was  accorded  by  Col- 
onel Cunningham,  whose  men  at  once  occupied  the  arsenal  grounds 
and  buildings,  opened  the  arsenals  and  magazines,  and  commenced 
an  issue  of  the  property.  In  his  report*  to  Governor  Pickens,  Col- 
onel Cunningham  states  that  "  the  dignity,  courtesy,  frankness  and 


*  Official  report  of  Colonel  Cunningham, 


BA  TTERIES  ESTABLISHED  ON  THE  CHANNEL. 


I23 


conduct  of  Captain  Humphreys"  enabled  him  "to  establish  the  most 
pleasant  and  even  confiding  relations  with  him,"  and  that  Captain 
Humphreys  had  facilitated  his  operations  in  every  way  consistent 
with  his  duties.  Some  of  the  employees  passed  into  the  service  of 
the  State.  The  value  of  the  stores  seized  was  estimated  by  the 
officer  who  occupied  the  work  at  $400,000.  On  the  morning  of 
the  3oth  the  military  storekeeper  reported  by  telegram  to  his  chief 
in  Washington,  that  the  arsenal  in  his  charge  had  that  day  been 
seized  by  force  of  arms. 

On  the  same  day,  and  by  the  same  authority,  "  Fort  Johnson 
and  the  adjacent  grounds"  were  seized  and  occupied  by  a  detach- 
ment of  State  troops  under  the  command  of  Captain  Jos,  Johnson, 
Jr.;  and  a  large  supply  of  fuel  belonging  to  the  Government,  and 
whose  want  was  greatly  felt  by  the  garrison  at  Fort  Sumter,  passed 
into  the  hands  of  the  State.  The  destruction  or  removal  of  any 
of  the  public  stores  was  forbidden  by  the  Governor  in  his  orders  to 
the  officer  in  command,  and  he  was  also  to  intercept  any  parties 
from  Fort  Sumter  and  to  prevent  any  communication  with  that 
work.  Nothing  but  the  mails  was  allowed  to  be  sent. 

Having  now  obtained  possession  of  the  unoccupied  forts  and 
arsenal,  the  Governor  proceeded  immediately  to  establish  batteries 
for  the  control  of  the  harbor.  On  the  morning  of  the  zgih  of 
December  orders  were  issued  to  his  chief  engineer  officer  to  pro- 
ceed to  some  suitable  point  on  Morris  Island  beyond  Fort 
Sumter,  to  associate  himself  with  the  ordnance  officer,  Colonel 
Manigault,  and  to  select  a  location  for  a  battery  to  bear  upon  the 
ship  channel,  and  to  erect  "the  same  as  soon  as  possible;"  two 
24-pounders  were  to  be  sent  at  once,  and  the  number  was  to  be 
increased.  A  point  upon  Sullivan's  Island  was  also  to  be  selected 
by  the  same  officers,  and  a  battery  established  beyond  Fort 
Moultrie  and  out  of  the  range  of  guns  from  Fort  Sumter, "  to 
guard  the  harbor  and  to  prevent  reinforcements  to  the  garrison. 

The  orders  of  the  Governor  were  carried  into  immediate  exe- 
cution and  Major  P.  F.  Stevens,  commanding  the  Citadel 
Academy,  with  a  detachment  of  forty  cadets  and  two  24-pounders, 
was  ordered  to  Morris  Island  to  assist  in  the  erection  of  the  bat- 
tery. The  Vigilant  Rifles,  under  Captain  Tucker,  numbering 
ninety  men,  were  sent  at  once  to  the  assistance  and  protection  of 
Major  Stevens.  The  work  was  soon  done,  and  two  24-pound  guns 
were  after  some  difficulty  mounted,  protected  by  the  natural  sand- 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 


- 


Go VERKOR  REPOR rs  AC TION.  \  $ 5 

hills  from  the  guns  of  Sumter.  Another  gun  was  added,  making 
a  battery  of  three  guns,  and  it  was  the  intention  of  the  Governor 
to  replace  them  by  heavy  Columbiads  as  soon  as  it  was  possible 
to  do  so.  It  was  this  battery,  thus  constituted,  that  fired  upon 
the  Star  of  the  West.  But  the  defensive  measures  of  Governor 
Pickens  were  not  yet  completed.  On  the  same  day  that  orders 
were  issued  for  the  establishment  of  the  batteries  on  Morris  and 
Sullivan's  islands,  he  directed  a  force  under  Colonel  Charles  Alston, 
commanding  the  Thirty-second  Regiment,  S.  C.  M.,  to  proceed 
immediately  to  the  most  exposed  points  between  the  harbor  of 
Charleston  and  the  North  Carolina  line,  and  there,with  the  assistance 
of  the  engineer  force,  to  establish  batteries  to  protect  the  entrances 
to  the  bays  and  rivers  on  the  coast. 

His  work  was  now  complete,  and  he  transmitted  to  the  Con- 
vention the  following  communication: 

"  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 

"28th  December,  1860. 
"To  the  Hon.  D.  F.  JAMISON, 

"  President  of  the  Convention. 

"  Sir :  As  the  Convention  sent  for  me  yesterday  to  be  informed 
upon  important  matters,  I  take  occasion  to  say  that  under  my  order 
Castle  Pinckney  was  taken  last  evening,  and  the  United  States  flag 
hauled  down,  and  the  Palmetto  banner  run  up  in  its  place;  and  I 
also  ordered  a  detachment  from  an  artillery  regiment  to  occupy 
Sullivan's  Island,  and,  if  it  could  be  done  without  any  immediate 
danger  from  mines,  or  too  great  loss  of  life,  to  take  Fort  Moultrie 
and  run  up  the  Palmetto  flag,  and  to  put  the  guns  in  immediate 
preparation  for  defense.  I  have  now  full  possession  of  these  two 
forts.  I  considered  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Moultrie,  under  all  the 
circumstances,  a  direct  violation  of  the  distinct  understanding 
between  the  authorities  of  the  Government  at  Washington,  and 
those  who  were  authorized  to  act  on  the  part  of  this  State,  and 
bringing  on  a  state  of  war. 

"  I  therefore  thought  it  due  to  the  safety  of  the  State  that  I 
should  take  the  steps  I  have.     I  hope  there  is  no  immediate  danger 
of  further  aggression  for  the  present. 
"  Respectfully, 

(Signed)  "  F.  W.  PICKENS." 

Later,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  on  Novembers,  1861, 
he  says:  "In  taking  Castle  Pinckney,  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  late 
United  States  arsenal,  we  acquired  large  supplies  of  heavy  ord- 
nance, arms  and  munitions  of  war.  As  we  took  the  responsibility 
of  acting  alone,  and  of  risking  all,  we  were  fairly  entitled  to  all 
we  acquired." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Restricted  means  of  the  garrison — Anderson  assumes  definite  position — His 
opinions — Does  not  now  ask  for  reinforcement — His  letter  of  January  6  — 
Reasons  for  his  movement  to  Sum ter— Personal  views  in  his  private  letters 
to  a  friend  in  Charleston  and  to  his  former  rector  at  Trenton,  N.  J. — Action 
of  the  engineer  laborers— Increased  activity  in  the  harbor—  Lights  put 
out — Accidental  notice  of  sailing  of  the  Star  of  the  West—  Large  force  of 
workmen  landed — Arming  of  fort  pushed  rapidly  on — Short  rations — Offi- 
cers go  to  Fort  Moultrie  for  their  private  effects  —Threatened  with  arrest — 
Return  to  Sumter — West  Point  graduates  sent  to  assist  the  men — Forts 
permanently  occupied — Action  of  Board  of  Pilots — Governor  issues  procla- 
mation forbidding  entrance  of  any  vessel  bearing  aid  or  supplies  to  the 
garrison — His  instruction  to  his  officers  at  Moultrie  and  the  arsenal. 

FROM  the  moment  of  his  entry  into  Fort  Sumter,  Major  Ander- 
son found  himself  surrounded  by  difficulties  which  he  had  not  anti- 
cipated. His  movement  had  been  made  with  so  much  secrecy 
and  despatch  that  he  was  without  any  supply  of  fuel;  and  many 
minor  articles  essential  to  him  were  wanting.  He  confesses  that 
there  was  yet  something  to  do  before  he  should  feel  independent,  as 
the  work  was  not  impregnable,  as  he  had  understood  it  to  be.  The 
memorandum  of  the  Governor  dissatisfied  him,  as  he  considered 
that  he  treated  him  as  an  enemy;  and  the  suspension  of  all  inter- 
course with  the  city,  except  in  the  transmission  of  his  mails,  in  thus 
depriving  him  of  the  opportunity  of  purchasing  fresh  provisions, 
added  to  his  embarrassment.  Still,  he  deemed  himself  "safe,"  and 
he  thanked  God  that  he  was  now  where  the  Government  might  send 
him  additional  troops  at  its  leisure,  and  that  he  could  command 
the  harbor  as  long  as  the  Government  wished  to  keep  it. 

It  was  now  the  6th  of  January,  and  Anderson  had  already  begun 
to  assume  definite  position.  He  thought  that  he  could  hold  Fort 
Sumter  against  any  force  which  could  be  brought  against  him;  he 
was  daily  increasing  the  strength  of  his  position,  and  his  command 
"  was  in  excellent  health  and  in  fine  spirits."  He  would  not  ask 
for  any  increase  of  his  command,  as  he  did  not  know  the  ulterior 
views  of  the  Government;  but  he  no  less  pointedly  repeated  that 
he  was,  or  soon  would  be,  cut  off  from  all  communication  unless 
the  batteries  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  should  be  carried  by  a 

powerful  fleet.     His  communication  was  as  follows: 

126 


ANDERSON'S  REPORT  TO  HIS  GOVERNMENT. 


127 


"FoRT  SUMTER,  S.  C.,  January  6,  1861. 
"Col.  S.  COOPER,  Adjutant-General: 

Colonel:  Through  the  courtesy  of  Governor  Pickens  I  am 
enabled  to  make  this  communication,  which  will  be  taken  to  Wash- 
ington by  my  brother,  Larz  Anderson,  Esq.  I  have  the  honor 
to  report  my  command  in  excellent  health  and  in  fine  spirits. 
We  are  daily  adding  to  the  strength  of  our  position  by  closing  up 
embrasures  which  we  shall  not  use,  mounting  guns,  etc.  The  South 
Carolinians  are  also  very  active  in  erecting  batteries  and  prepar- 
ing for  a  conflict,  which  I  pray  God  may  not  occur.  Batteries 
have  been  constructed  bearing  upon  and,  I  presume,  commanding 
the  entrance  to  the  harbor.  They  are  also  to-day  busily  at  work 
on  a  battery  at  Fort  Johnson  intended  to  fire  against  me.  My 
position  will,  should  there  be  no  treachery  among  the  workmen, 
whom  we  are  compelled  to  retain  for  the  present,  enable  me  to  hold 
this  fort  against  any  force  which  can  be  brought  against  me,  and 
it  would  enable  me,  in  the  event  of  a  war,  to  annoy  the  South  Car- 
olinians by  preventing  them  from  throwing  supplies  into  their  new 
posts  except  by  the  out-of-the-way  passage  though  Stono  River. 
At  present  it  would  be  dangerous  and  difficult  for  a  vessel  from 
without  to  enter  the  harbor,  in  consequence  of  the  batteries  which 
are  already  erected  and  being  erected.  I  shall  not  ask  for  any 
increase  of  my  command,  because  I  do  not  know  what  the  ulterior 
views  of  the  Government  are.  We  are  now,  or  soon  will  be,  cut 
off  from  all  communication,  unless  by  means  of  a  powerful  fleet, 
which  shall  have  the  ability  to  carry  the  batteries  at  the  mouth  of 
this  harbor. 

"  Trusting  in  God  that  nothing  will  occur  to  array  a  greater 
number  of  States  than  have  already  taken  ground  against  the  Gen- 
eral Government, 

"  I  am,  Colonel,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
" 'Major,  First  Artillery,   Commanding." 

He  explains,  too,  the  reason  for  his  movement  to  Fort 
Sumter.  "  Many  things  convinced  "  him  that  the  authorities  of 
the  State  designed  to  proceed  to  a  hostile  act,  and  he  deemed  it 
to  be  his  solemn  duty  to  move  his  command  from  a  position 
which  could  not  have  been  held  more  than  forty-eight  or  sixty 
hours,  to  one  where  his  power  of  resistance  was  greatly  increased, 
and  the  more  he  reflected  upon  the  movement  he  had  made,  the 
stronger  were  his  convictions  that  he  was  right  in  making  it;  that 
his  safety  in  Fort  Moultrie  depended  only  upon  the  forbearance 
of  the  State,  while  Fort  Sumter  might  have  been  seized  at  any 
moment,  and  he  would  then  "  have  been  in  their  power;"  and  he 
made  the  unanswerable  argument  that  if  such  understanding  as 


128  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

was  alleged  or  claimed  to  have  existed  between  the  "two 
Governments  "  had  any  force,  the  fact  of  the  Governor  having 
ordered  armed  steamers  to  keep  watch  over  him,  would  have 
released  the  Government  at  Washington  "  from  any  obligation  to 
remain  quiescent."  He  was  convinced,  too,  that  upon  the  failure 
of  the  mission  to  Washington,  an  attack  would  have  been  made 
upon  him  and  his  command  sacrificed.  But  besides  the  report  to 
the  Government,  Major  Anderson  in  private  letters  has  freely  set 
forth  the  sentiments  that  controlled  his  action.  Upon  the  day 
after  his  movement  to  Fort  Sumter,  he  addressed  to  Mr.  Robert 
N.  Gourdin,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Charleston,  a  member  of  the 
Convention,  and  with  whom  he  was  upon  terms  of  personal 
intimacy,  the  following  communication,  which  was  read  by  Mr. 
Gourdin  to  the  Convention,  then  in  session: 

"FORT  SUMTER,  Charleston,  S.  C.,  December  27,  1860. 
"  My  dear  Sir  :  I  have  only  time  to  say  that  the  movement  of 
my  command  to  this  place  was  made  on  my  own  responsibility 
and  not  in  obedience  to  orders  from  Washington.  I  did  it  because 
in  my  opinion  it  was  the  best  way  of  preventing  the  shedding  of 
blood.  God  grant  that  the  existing  condition  of  affairs  may  be 
adjusted  without  any  resort  to  force. 

"  Truly  your  friend,  ROBERT  ANDERSON. 
"  The  Hon.  ROBERT  N.  GOURDIN." 

His  friend,  however,  strongly  objected  to  and  condemned  the 
movement,  as  calculated  to  complicate  and  embarrass  the  condi- 
tion of  things,  and  so  informed  Major  Anderson  ;  when  on  the 
of  December  Major  Anderson  replied  to  him,  as  follows  : 


"  FORT  SUMTER,  South  Carolina,  December  29,  1860. 

"  My  dear  Sir  :  No  one  will  regret  more  deeply  than  I  shall, 
should  it  prove  true  that  the  movement  I  have  made  has  compli- 
cated rather  than  disembarrassed  affairs.  There  is  an  unaccount- 
able mystery  in  reference  to  this  affair.  I  was  asked  by  a 
gentleman  within  a  day  or  two,  if  I  had  been  notified  by  your 
Government  that  I  would  not  be  molested  at  Fort  Moultrie,  and 
when  I  replied  that  I  had  not  been  so  notified,  he  remarked  that 
he  was  glad  to  hear  it,  as  it  convinced  him  that  I  had  acted  in 
good  faith,  having  just  told  him  that  I  had  not  received  such  an 
intimation  from  my  own  Government.  Now  if  there  was  such  an 
understanding,  I  certainly  ought  to  have  been  informed  of  it. 

"  But  why,  if  your  Government  thought  that  I  knew  of  this 
agreement,  was  everything  done  which  indicated  an  intention  to 
attack  ?  Why  were  armed  steamers  kept  constantly  on  the  watch 


PRIVA  TE  LETTER  OF  MAJOR  ANDERSON.  \  2g 

for  my  movements  ?  The  papers  say  that  I  was  under  a  panic. 
That  is  a  mistake  ;  the  moment  I  inspected  my  position  I  saw 
that  the  work  was  not  defensible  with  my  small  command,  and 
recommended,  weeks  ago,  that  we  ought  to  be  withdrawn.  I 
remained,  then,  as  long  as  I  could  under  the  fearful  responsibility 
I  felt  for  the  safety  of  my  command,  and  finally  decided  on 
Christmas  morning  that  I  would  remove  the  command  that  day; 
and  it  would  have  been  attempted  that  day  if  the  weather  had  not 
proved  inauspicious.  Not  a  person  of  my  command  knew  of  my 
determination  until  that  morning,  and  only  on  that  day.  The 
captains  of  the  lighters  are,  I  am  sorry  to  see,  threatened  by  the 
Charlestonians  for  what  they  did.  I  do  hope  that  they  will  not 
disgrace  themselves  by  wreaking  their  wrath  upon  these  men. 
They  were  employed  to  take  the  women  and  children,  and  food 
for  them,  to  Fort  Johnson,  and  were  as  innocent  in  the  matter  as 
any  one.  Another  lighter  was  filled  with  commissary  stores  for 
the  workingmen  here,  and  her  captain  certainly  is  not  blamable 
for  bringing  them.  Not  a  soldier  came  in  either  of  these  vessels 
except  the  married  men  with  their  wives  for  Fort  Johnson,  and 
there  was  not  an  arm  of  any  kind  permitted  to  be  taken  on  board 
those  boats.  Only  one  person  on  board  those  boats  knew  that 
Fort  Johnson  was  not  their  final  destination,  until  the  signal  was 
given  that  the  command  was  in  Fort  Sumter.  My  men  were 
transferred  in  our  oivn  boats,  and  were  all,  with  the  exception  of 
those  attached  to  the  hospital,  in  the  fort  before  8  o'clock.  So 
much  in  exoneration  of  the  captains 

"  I  regret  that  the  Governor  has  deemed  proper  to  treat  us  as 
enemies,  by  cutting  off  our  communication  with  the  city,  per- 
mitting me  only  to  send  for  the  mails.  Now  this  is  annoying, 
and  I  regret  it.  We  can  do  without  going  to  the  city,  as  I  have 
supplies  of  provisions,  of  all  kinds,  to  last  my  command  about 
five  months,  but  it  would  add  to  our  comfort  to  be  enabled  to 
make  purchases  of  fresh  meats  and  so  on,  and  to  shop  in  the  city. 
The  Governor  does  not  know  how  entirely  the  commerce  and 
intercourse  of  Charleston  by  sea  are  in  my  power.  I  could,  if  so 
disposed,  annoy  and  embarrass  the  Charlestonians  much  more 
than  they  can  me.  With  my  guns  I  can  close  the  harbor  com- 
pletely to  the  access  of  all  large  vessels,  and  I  might  even  cut  off 
the  lights,  so  as  to  seal  the  approach  entirely  by  night.  I  do 
hope  that  nothing  will  occur  to  add  to  the  excitement  and  bad 
feeling  which  exists  in  the  city.  No  one  has  a  right  to  be  angry 
with  me  for  my  action.  No  one  can  tell  what  they  would  have 
done  unless  they  were  placed  in  the  same  tight  place.  .  . 
I  write  this  note  hurriedly,  as  I  wish  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  kind  note,  and  to  assure  you  that  I  am  firmly  convinced 
that,  had  you  been  in  my  place,  and  known  no  more  of  the  politi- 
cal bearing  of  things  than  I  did,  you  would  have  acted  as  I  did. 

***  *  *  *  i_*  i          r 

I  know  that  if  my  action  was  properly  explained  to  the  people  < 


I  30  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Charleston,  they  would  not  feel  any  excitement  against  me  or  my 
command. 

"  Praying  that  the  time  may  soon  come,  etc., 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON." 

Upon  the  following  day  he  wrote  to  his  former  rector  at  Tren- 
ton, N.  J.,  the  Rev.  R.  B.  Duane,  informing  him  of  his  movement 
and  of  his  reasons  for  making  it.  His  letter  was  as  follows: 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C  , 
"December  30,   1860. 

"  My  dear  Sir :  Your  most  welcome  letter  of  the  26th  of 
December,  received  to-day,  finds  me,  as  you  see,  at  Fort  Sumter. 
God  has  been  pleased  to  hear  our  prayers,  and  has  removed  me  to 
this  stronghold.  Perhaps  at  the  very  moment  you  were  writing  to  me 
I  was  by  His  guidance  leading  my  little  band  across  to  this  place. 
I  left  Fort  Moultrie  between  5  and  6  P.  M.,  and  had  my  command 
here  by  8  o'clock  the  same  evening.  You  say  that  you  .had  mar- 
velled that  I  had  not  been  ordered  to  hold  Fort  Sumter  instead  of 
Fort  Moultrie.  Much  has  been  said  about  my  having  come  here 
on  my  own  responsibility.  Unwilling  to  see  my  little  band  sacri- 
ficed, I  determined,  after  earnestly  awaiting  instructions  as  long  as 
I  could,  to  avail  myself  of  the  earliest  opportunity  of  extricating 
myself  from  my  dangerous  position.  God  be  praised!  He  gave 
me  the  will  and  led  me  in  the  .vay.  How  I  do  wish  that  you  could 
have  looked  down  upon  us  when  we  threw  the  stars  and  stripes  to 
the  breeze,  at  12  o'clock  on  the  2yth  !  .  .  . 

"  I  am  now,  thank  God,  in  a  place  which  will,  by  His  helping, 
soon  be  made  so  strong  that  the  South  Carolinians  will  be  madmen 
if  they  attack  me.  There  are  some  alterations  and  some  additions 
which  I  wish  to  have  made.  The  Governor  of  this  State  has  inter- 
dicted all  intercourse  with  the  city  except  that  of  sending  and 
receiving  letters,  so  that  you  see  we  are  quasi  enemies.  Were  I 
disposed  to  declare  myself  independent  of,  to  secede  from,  the 
General  Government  and  retaliate,  I  could  cut  Charleston  off  from 
her  supplies,  but  I  will  show  him  that  I  am  more  of  a  Christian 
than  to  make  the  innocent  suffer  for  the  petty  conduct  of  their 

Governor. 

*          *          *  ***** 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON. 

"  You  see  it  stated  that  I  came  here  without  orders.  Fear  not! 
I  am  sure  I  can  satisfy  any  tribunal  I  may  be  brought  before,  that 
I  was  fully  justified  in  moving  my  command." 

Work  upon  the  fort  was  at  once  resumed,  the  mounting  of  the 
guns  commenced,  and  the  closing  of  the  embrasures  in  the  second 
tier  rapidly  pushed  forward. 

When  occupied  by  Major  Anderson's  command  on  the  night 


CONDITION  OF  FOR  T  SUM  TER 

of  the  26th  of  December,  Fort  Sumter  was  in  no  condition  for 
defense. 

There  were  but  three  24-pounders  mounted  on  the  left  of  the 
upper  or  barbette  tier,  which  however  was  ready  for  its  armament. 
The  second  tier  was  wholly  incomplete,  without  embrasures,  and 
with  forty-one  openings  eight  feet  square  left  in  the  wall.  Twenty 
were  closed  with  one-inch  boards ;  twenty-one  were  open,  or 
partially  closed  only  by  dry  brick.  There  was  but  one  gun, 
and  that  for  experimental  purposes,  yet  mounted  on  that  tier. 
On  the  lower  tier,  eleven  3 2 -pounders  had  been  mounted,  and  the 
posterns  in  the  angles  closed.  The  barracks  for  the  men  were 
unfinished,  but,  where  tenable,  were  occupied  by  workmen.  The 
officers'  quarters  were  completed,  and  were  occupied  by  the  gar- 
rison. A  large  number  of  wooden  structures  crowded  the  parade. 
They  were  of  the  most  temporary  character  and  served  as  store- 
houses for  the  tools  and  material  of  the  workmen,  while  all  over 
the  parade  lay  sand  and  rough  masonry,  and  sixty-six  guns  with 
their  carriages  and  5,600  shot  and  shell.  The  main  entrance  was 
closed  by  double  gates  secured  by  bars,  but  they  were  insecure  and 
weak.  The  seven  loop-holed  doors  in  the  gorge  were  closed,  as 
were  also  twelve  ventilators  of  the  magazine. 

Material  for  the  construction  of  the  work  around  the  wharf 
and  esplanade  greatly  obstructed  the  movements  of  the  garrison. 
Work,  however,  was  at  once  pushed  with  great  vigor,  and  especi- 
ally with  reference  to  the  armament.  Under  the  instructions  of 
Major  Anderson,  the  defense  was  to  be  limited  to  the  upper  and 
lower  tiers,  where  guns  were  to  be  immediately  mounted.  On  the 
lower  tier,  guns  were  to  be  mounted  at  the  angles  only,  and  the 
remaining  openings  and  those  of  the  entire  second  tier  were  to  be 
"  permanently  and  securely  "  closed.  The  transferrence  of  the 
command  of  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter  produced  an  alarm 
amonp  fhe  workmen.  It  was  supposed  by  them  that  an  attack 
upon  the  fort  was  imminent.  They  had  previously  resolved  that 
they  would  take  no  part  in  any  conflict,  and  many  claimed  their 
discharge.  Of  the  laborers  at  work  when  the  command  occupied 
Fort  Sumter,  many  were  discharged  within  a  few  days.  The  report 
had  spread  that  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  force  these  men 
into  the  military  service  of  the  Government,  and  to  detain  them 
against  their  will  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  the  Governor  of  the 
State  had  asked  for  information  upon  the  subject.  No  such 


132  THE  GENESIS  Of  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

course  had  been  pursued  or  been  contemplated  at  Fort  Sumter, 
although  Major  Anderson  had  felt  himself  compelled  to  retain 
some  of  them.  The  employees  of  the  Engineer  Department 
remained  or  were  discharged,  as  they  elected  to  do.  Many  that 
left  the  work  added  to  the  excitement  in  the  city,  by  false  represen- 
tations of  what  was  transpiring  in  Fort  Sumter.  The  force  now 
under  the  command  of  Major  Anderson  consisted  of  ten  officers, 
seventy-six  enlisted  men,  forty-five  women  and  children,  and 
with  a  gradually  lessening  force  of  laborers,  their  number 
was  reduced  to  fifty-five,  at  which  point  it  remained  until  the  work 


LOWER  TIER  OF  GUNS,  FORT  SUMTER. 

fell.  Intercourse  with  Charleston  had  not  yet  been  officially 
suspended;  and  on  the  2gth  of  December  Captain  Seymour  visited 
the  city.  There  was  no  opposition  to  the  landing  of  his  boat.  He 
described  the  feeling  of  the  people  as  intensely  excited  against 
Major  Anderson,  and  expressed  his  conviction  that  we  would  be 
at  once  attacked.  On  the  3oth  all  communication  with  the  city 
was  cut  off,  and  no  supplies  of  any  description  allowed  to  go  to 
the  fort,  the  Governor  having  declined  to  change  or  modify  his 
order.  Storm  and  rain  had  now  set  in,  and  for  several  days  the 
fort  was  enveloped  in  fog,  and  under  its  cover  and  concealment 
the  work  was  pushed  rapidly  on.  Every  effort  was  made  to  hasten 


STAR  OF  THE  WEST  SAILS. 

its  armament.  Three  guns  were  mounted  in  the  angles  of  the 
work  on  the  3oth,  and  Major  Anderson  considered  that  in  a  "  week 
longer"  he  would  be  fully  prepared  for  any  attack  that  might  be 
made. 

Meantime,  increased  activity  was  visible  in  the  harbor.  Small 
steamers  with  troops  and  laborers  were  passing  to  and  fro,  and 
men  and  material  landed  on  Morris  Island  and  preparations  made 
for  remounting  the  guns  at  Fort  Moultrie  and  strengthening  its 
parapet  towards  Fort  Sumter.  The  harbor  lights  on  Sullivan's 
and  on  Morris  islands  were  put  out  on  the  night  of  the  2oth, 
leaving  the  one  upon  Sumter  and  that  upon  the  light-ship  in  the 
offing  the  only  lights  in  the  harbor. 

On  the  5th  of  January  the  wife  of  Captain  Foster,  with  her 
sister,  left  the  work  to  proceed  to  Washington.  There  was  no 
detention  at  the  island,  to  which  they  had  crossed  in  a  small  boat. 
No  communication  was  allowed  with  them,  and  they  were  told 
that  they  must  decide  upon  remaining  either  at  Fort  Sumter  or  at 
the  island  altogether.  To  the  surprise  of  the  garrison,  the  wife 
of  Major  Anderson  came  down  to  the  fort,  with  the  permission  of 
the  authorities,  accompanied  by  her  brother,  Mr.  Bayard  Clinch, 
Mr.  Larz  Anderson,  and  Mr.  Robert  Gourdin,  a  member  of  the 
Convention.  She  was  still  an  invalid,  and  had  left  New  York 
alone  to  come  to  Charleston.  The  intelligence  they  brought 
impressed  the  garrison  with  the  fact  that  the  secession  of  South 
Carolina  was  about  to  be  followed  by  that  of  other  Southern 
States.  The  fact  of  the  vote  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
sustaining  Major  Anderson,  was  greatly  gratifying  to  him.  At  4 
o'clock  the  party  returned  to  Charleston. 

Upon  the  return  of  his  brother  to  Washington,  Major 
Anderson  was  permitted  by  Governor  Pickens  to  communicate 
with  his  Government. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  January,  by  a  boat  that  brought 
down  some  men  of  the  Engineer  Department,  a  newspaper  was 
received,  and  in  it  was  the  announcement  that  the  Star  of  the  West 
was  to  sail  with  reinforcements  for  Fort  Sumter,  and  would  arrive 
on  the  night  of  the  8th.  The  information  was  not  credited,  as  it 
was  believed  that  any  reinforcements  for  the  work  would  neces- 
sarily be  sent  in  a  vessel  of  war,  and  in  this  view  Major  Anderson 
coincided. 

The    greatest    activity   was    meanwhile    manifested.      The 


1 34  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

defenseless  and  exposed  condition  of  the  work  so  plainly  invited 
an  assault,  that  the  earlier  efforts  of  the  garrison  were  directed  to 
meet  it,  should  one  be  made. 

Projecting  galleries  (Machicouli)  were  erected  upon  the  parapet, 
to  be  used  in  dropping  shells  and  hand-grenades.  Stands  of  grape 
and  canister  were  carried  to  the  parapet,  and  barrels  containing 
fragments  of  rock  in  which  a  loaded  shell  had  been  embedded,  to 
be  used  in  repelling  an  assault,  were  placed  at  intervals  near  the 
galleries.*  The  scarcity  of  fuel  began  already  to  be  felt,  and  it 
became  at  once  necessary  to  restrict  its  issue.  But  one  fire  was 
allowed  to  the  officers  and  one  to  the  hospital;  none  were 
permitted  in  the  quarters.  The  mess  of  the  officers  was  moved 
to  the  kitchen,  where  they  were  to  be  served  last.  To  add  to  the 
restrictions  imposed  upon  the  garrison,  the  mail  of  the  ist  of 
January  brought  an  order  from  the  Governor  withdrawing  the 
permission  heretofore  given  for  the  transmission  of  the  mails,  and 
prohibiting  all  communication  between  the  fort  and  the  city. 
Events  now  followed  each  other  with  rapidity.  The  inspector  of 
light-houses,  Captain  Hunter,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  was 
ordered  to  leave  the  State  and  his  vessel  seized. 

On  the  ist  of  January  a  large  force  of  men  were  landed  on 
Cumming's  Point,  the  part  of  Morris  Island  nearest  Fort  Sumter, 
and  distant  only  1,200  yards.  The  light-ship  was  towed  in  on 
the  same  day,  thus  leaving  the  harbor  in  darkness,  except  the 
solitary  light  upon  Fort  Sumter. 

The  light  upon  Rattlesnake  Shoals,  which  was  burning  until 
3  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  ist,  was  at  the  signal  of 
rockets  extinguished. 

It  was  reported  that  the  steamer  Harriet  Lane  was  coming  to 
Charleston  to  collect  the  revenue,  and  that  reinforcements  were 
also  to  be  sent,  and  it  was  mainly  upon  the  strength  of  this  report 
that  the  lights  were  extinguished  in  the  harbor  by  the  authorities. 
Major  Anderson,  to  whom  the  writer  carried  the  report,  was  greatly 
cheered  by  it:  we  were  not  to  be  returned  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  he 
was  sustained  in  his  action  There  was  also  great  unanimity  of 
sentiment  among  the  officers,  who,  in  the  activity  and  energy  dis- 
played, were  ready  to  do  their  whole  duty. 

The  position  was  gradually  growing  stronger.     Where  no  guns 


*  A  suggestion  of  Captain  Seymour. 


PREPARA  TIONS  FOR  DEFENSE. 


*35 


were  to  be  mounted,  the  embrasures  were  filled  with  masonry  and 
the  shutters  secured  by  strong  iron  bars,  and  such  of  the  loop-holes 
for  musketry  as  were  not  to  be  used  were  closely  planked  up. 
Heavy  guns,  32  and  42  pounders,  were  now  in  position  in  the  pan 
coupes,  at  either  flank  of  the  gorge.  The  men  worked  cheerfully 
and  willingly  from  morning  till  night.  Inside  of  the  fort  a  feeling 
prevailed  that  an  attack  was  imminent,  while  upon  the  part  of  the 
State  authorities  it  was  anticipated  that  an  attempt  would  be  made 
by  the  Government  to  reinforce  the  work,  and  immediate  prep- 
arations were  made  by  each  with  reference  to  their  special  convic- 
tions. Sentinels  were  placed  on  the  parapet  and  over  the  batteries 


CLOSING   AN   EMBRASURE  WHERE   GUN   NOT  USED. 

below,  and  every  effort  was  made  by  Major  Anderson  to  place  in 
position  a  heavy  Columbiad.  But  the  want  of  sufficient  or  proper 
tackle  greatly  delayed  the  work,  and  it  soon  became  apparent  that 
the  neglect  to  transfer  the  proper  material  for  moving  and  equip- 
ping the  large  ordnance  would  seriously  embarrass  and  delay  the 
prompt  and  efficient  arming  of  the  work.  On  the  2d  of  January 
assignments  of  the  officers  to  command  the  batteries  now  mounted 
were  made.  The  guns,  consisting  of  three  3 2 -pounders  at  the 
southeast  angle,  were  placed  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Doubleday,  while  the  battery  at  the  southwest  angle  was  assigned 
to  Captain  T.  Seymour.  Preparations  were  now  made  to  hoist  the 
heavy  guns  to  the  parapet, 


J  36  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  excitement  in  the  city  seemed  to  increase,  and  every  one 
that  came  to  the  fort  brought  reports  of  its  existence  and  intensity. 
The  Governor  had  determined  to  isolate  the  fort  entirely,  and  its 
garrison  was  subjected  to  many  petty  annoyances.  A  brother  of 
Major  Anderson  had  come  to  Charleston  to  visit  him  at  the  fort. 
He  was  permitted  to  go  to  Fort  Sumter  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Robert  Gourdin  and  Mr.  Alfred  Huger,  with  the  understanding 
that  the  interview  should  take  place  in  the  presence  of  these 
gentlemen.  This  interview  produced  a  depressing  effect  upon 
Major  Anderson,  who  thought  that  nothing  could  now  prevent  a 
conflict.  A  fact,  too,  was  made  known  that  caused  him  great 
anxiety.  It  was  discovered  that  there  were  short  rations  of  sugar 
and  coffee,  and  but  thirty  or  forty  barrels  of  flour  on  hand.  The 
effect  of  the  hasty  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  was  still  felt. 
The  private  property  of  Captains  Foster  and  Seymour  had  not 
yet  been  permitted  to  come  to  them,  although  a  promise  to  that 
effect  had  been  made,  both  by  the  Governor  and  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  island.  In  order  to  secure  it  these  officers  crossed 
directly  to  Fort  Moultrie  on  the  4th  instant,  where  they  were 
arrested  by  order  of  General  Donovant,  and  it  was  proposed  to 
send  them  to  the  Governor.  Representing  that  this  would  be  an 
act  of  war,  as  force  must  be  used,  they  were  finally  allowed  to 
return  without  accomplishing  the  object  of  their  mission,  the 
officer  in  command  informing  them  that  his  orders  were  positive.* 
The  contents  of  the  Engineer  office,  with  the  record-books, 
instruments,  and  maps  containing  detailed  information  of 
the  forts  and  the  harbor,  were  seized  in  Charleston,  while  the 
former  clerk  of  the  engineer  in  charge,  J.  Legare,  having  been 
appointed  one  of  the  construction  engineers  on  Morris  Island, 
passed  into  the  service  of  the  State,  with  much  of  the  valuable 
information  acquired  in  his  former  position.  Great  energy  was 
now  displayed  upon  all  sides. 

On  the  6th  there  was  increased  activity  at  Fort  Johnson,  and 
a  mortar  battery  was  commenced  in  front  of  the  old  barracks, 
on  the  western  shore,  belonging  to  the  Government,  to  bear  di- 
rectly upon  Fort  Sumter. 

Traverses  were  begun  on  the  parapet  of  Fort  Moultrie,  and 


*  The  effects  of  these  officers  were  not  removed  until  the  2jd  of  March- 
Charleston  Mercury,  March  25,  1861. 


SINKING  OF  HULKS  IN  THE  CHANNEL.  i  *  7 

experimental  firing  commenced  at  that  work  and  from  the  battery 
on  Morris  Island.  Steamers  were  plying  between  the  fort  and 
the  batteries  at  all  hours,  conveying  men  and  ammunition.  A 
code  of  signals  had  been  adopted,  which  was  put  in  constant  prac- 
tice. Permanent  garrisons  were  at  once  provided  for  the  forts 
that  had  been  seized.  A  detachment  of  infantry  and  twenty  men 
of  an  artillery  company  under  Captain  King  occupied  Castle 
Pinckney,  and  Lieutenants  Gibbs  and  Reynolds,  graduates  of 
West  Point,  who  had  resigned  their  positions  in  the  army,  were 
also  assigned  to  that  post  to  instruct  the  men.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  De  Saussure,  with  a  detachment  of  170  men  from  an 
artillery  regiment  and  thirty  men  from  Colonel  Pettigrew's  rifle 
regiment,  occupied  Fort  Moultrie,  with  a.  force  of  engineers,  to 
protect  the  heavy  guns  that  commanded  the  Maffit  Channel  from 
the  fire  of  Fort  Sumter.  Points  for  batteries  on  Sullivan's  and 
Morris  islands  for  heavy  guns  had  been  selected,  and  the  work 
vigorously  pushed  forward  "to  guard  the  harbor"  at  those  points, 
and  "to  prevent  reinforcement  to  the  garrison  in  Fort  Sumter."* 
Officers  (Lieutenant  I.  R.  Hamilton,  Wade  H.  Gibbes,  H.  S. 
Farley,  James  Hamilton,  George  N.  Reynolds,  Jr.),  and  among 
them  cadets  of  West  Point,  who  had  entered  the  service  of  the 
State,  were  sent  down  to  assist  in  directing  and  managing  the 
guns  of  large  calibre  to  be  placed  in  these  batteries;  and  they 
were  also  authorized,  in  connection  with  the  commanding  officer 
of  Fort  Moultrie,  to  procure  and  sink  any  vessels  in  a  proper  place 
in  the  channel,  that  might  aid  and  assist  in  preventing  reinforce- 
ments from  entering  the  harbor. f 

But  before  taking  this  important  step,  however,  it  was  deemed 
advisable  to  consult  the  Board  of  Pilots  on  duty  in  the  harbor, 
and  a  conference  was  held  between  them  and  the  Executive 
Council  on  the  3d  of  January.  The  Board  advised  that  at 
least  six  vessels  or  hulks  should  be  sunk  in  the  channels,  effect- 
ually to  obstruct  the  entrance  of  vessels  drawing  twelve  feet  or 
over,  which  was  done  on  the  nth  of  January. 

In  the  midst  of  the  execution  of  these  orders  intelligence  was 
received  by  the  Government  from  the  South  Carolina  Commis- 
sioners at  Washington,  that  the  Harriet  Lane  had  sailed,  that 

*  Pickens's  orders  to  General  Schnierle,  December  21,  1861.  Record  of 
Fort  Sumter.  Columbia,  1862. 

t  Pickens  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  De  Saussure,  December  31,  1860. 


138  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

her  destination  was  probably  Fort  Sumter,  and  that  she  would  be 
off  the  bar  on  the  night  of  the  ist.  The  Governor  was  prompt 
to  act.  Despatching  a  competent  officer  with  a  force  of  artiller- 
ists to  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort  Moultrie,  he  informs  him 
that  he  had  anticipated  his  want  as  to  the  management  of  the  large 
guns,  and  had  sent  this  force  to  his  assistance,  as  the  time  was 
short,  and  that  he  deemed  it  of  the  last  importance  to  sustain 
themselves  in  the  first  fight. 

Upon  the  same  day  the  Governor  communicates  with  Major- 
General  Schnierle,  the  commandant  of  the  forces  in  the  harbor 
and  vicinity,  directing  him  to  order  Captain  N.  L.  Coste  or  other 
officer  in  command  of  the  cutter  Aiken  to  proceed  to  such  point 
as  may  be  expedient,  to  overhaul  all  vessels,  and  to  arrest  all  those 
that  attempted  to  bring  reinforcements  or  supplies  of  any  kind  for 
the  United  States  troops  at  Fort  Sumter;  and  he  was  to  "  deliver 
such  vessel,  reinforcements  and  supplies  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  W. 
G.  De  Saussure  or  other  officer  in  command  of  Sullivan's  Island." 
On  the  following  day  the  chief  pilot  (Carnagan)  was  ordered  to 
take  a  vessel  and  occupy  a  position  off  or  near  the  bar  of  Charles- 
ton immediately,  and  in  case  of  the  approach  of  any  public  vessel 
of  the  United  States  or  any  vessel  bearing  aid  or  supplies  to 
the  United  States  garrison  at  Fort  Sumter,  or  in  any  way  intend- 
ing to  exercise  authority  or  jurisdiction  in  any  manner  in  the 
waters,  he  was  to  warn  them  off  "  in  the  most  decided  manner," 
and  to  hand  them  the  following  proclamation. 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  ist  January,  1861. 

"  Be  it  known,  to  all  concerned,  that  a  state  of  things  exists 
which  makes  it  my  duty  to  warn  all  public  vessels  of  the  United 
States  or  any  vessel  bearing  aid  and  supplies  to  the  garrison  at 
Fort  Sumter,  or  in  any  way  directed  to  exercise  any  authority 
whatever  in  the  waters  of  South  Carolina,  that  they  are  hereby 
forbid  to  do  so,  and  to  abstain  from  entering  especially  the  harbor 
of  Charleston. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  the  State,  the 
• — •«— -*>  day  and  year  aforesaid: 

(  Seal  of  )  (Signed)          "  F.  W.  PICKENS, 

(   State.    )  Gov.  and  Commr  in  CKf  in  and  over 

^^Y-^—  -  the  State  of  South  Carolina." 

The  destination  of  the  Harriet  Lane  was  not  Fort  Sumter,  nor 
the  harbor  of  Charleston;  but  the  conviction  that  an  expedition  of 
some  kind,  either  hostile  or  pacific,  was  on  foot,  and  that  its  object 
was  to  change  or  modify  the  existing  condition  of  things  in  the 


PREVENTING  THE  RELIEF  OF  SUMTER. 

harbor  of  Charleston,  remained,  and  the  greatest  anxiety  was 
manifested  by  the  Governor  of  the  State  and  his  subordinates,  and 
the  greatest  vigor  shown  in  pushing  forward  to  completion  the 
works  undertaken  to  prevent  the  success  of  such  expedition. 

Men  and  material  were  moved  daily  from  point  to  point  in  the 
harbor  without  any  attempt  at  concealment.  On  the  jd  of  January 
the  Governor  of  the  State  again  addressed  the  commandant  of 
Fort  Moultrie.  He  informed  him  that  "  recent  news  seemed  to 
indicate  "  that  a  vessel  of  war  of  the  United  States  would  enter 
the  harbor  ;  that  she  might  not  have  reinforcements  on  board,  and 
her  object  might  be  pacific,  and  that  she  might  be  intended  to 
collect  the  revenue  only.  If  this  could  be  ascertained,  "the 
immediate  necessity  of  firing  upon  her  "  might  not  be  so  great, 
but  if  she  had  reinforcements,  "  there  could  be  no  doubt  that 
there  must  be  all  proper  exertions  made  to  prevent  the  reinforce- 
ments— let  the  consequences  be  what  they  may." 

General  Donovant  was  directed  to  put  himself  in  communi- 
cation with  the  pilot  captain  on  watch  at  the  bar,  and  to  ascertain 
the  facts  in  regard  to  the  vessel.  An  expedition,  however,  had 
meantime  been  prepared,  and  had  sailed  from  New  York  on  the 
night  of  the  5th  inst.  Information  had  been  communicated  by 
telegram  to  Governor  Pickens,  who  considered  that  every  precau- 
tion had  been  taken,  and  who  awaited  the  result.  To  complete, 
however,  his  arrangements,  and  to  leave  no  step  untaken,  he  finally 
transmitted  orders  to  Colonel  John  Cunningham,  commanding  the 
arsenal  in  Charleston,  to  take  300  picked  riflemen  "  fully  armed 
with  the  best  rifles  and  at  least  100  best  artillery  sabres,"  to  proceed 
to  the  steamship  Marion,  and  put  his  men  under  the  hatches 
until  he  passed  Fort  Sumter.  He  was  to  proceed  to  the  bar, 
and  if  possible  prevent  the  Star  of  the  West  or  any  other  vessel 
from  passing  reinforcements  to  Fort  Sumter,  and  in  consultation 
with  Captain  Hamilton,  of  the  South  Carolina  Navy,  they  were 
to  settle  the  proper  time  for  boarding.  Captain  Hamilton  received 
similar  instructions,  and  was  required  to  exercise  the  greatest 
precaution,  and  "  the  most  decided  and  prompt  action  "  that  might 
be  necessary  to  prevent  supplies  to  Fort  Sumter.  A  constant 
exchange  of  signals  was  made  by  day  and  night  between  the  city, 
the  temporary  batteries  and  the  vessels  on  duty  in  the  harbor,  and 
every  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  State  was  resorted  to  in  order 
to  prevent  relief  from  reaching  the  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Washington — Effect  of  Anderson's  movement — False  report  of  reinforcement — 
Telegram  of  Govern  :r — Reply  oi  Secretary  of  War — Commissioners  ap- 
pointed by  Convention — Arrive  in  Washington—  President  appoints  day  to 
receive  them— Arrangement  made  by  agent  of  South  Carolina — News  of 
Anderson's  movement  changes  the  relations — Statement  in  detail  of  agent 
of  the  State — President  urged  to  restore  the  status  -  He  declines — Ander- 
son's movement  without  his  orders — Secretary  of  War  telegraphs  to  Ander- 
son— Anderson's  reply  confirming  report— President's  action  -Cabinet 
convened — Discussion  -  Copy  of  order  by  Major  Buell  sent  for— South  Car- 
olina Commissioners — Interview  with  the  President — They  transmit  their 
letter  of  authority  from  the  Convention— Demand  explanation  of  Ander- 
son's movement— President  receives  Commissioners — Promises  reply — Pres- 
ident submits  draft  of  letter  to  his  Cabinet,  who  are  divided  in  opinion — 
Northern  members  threaten  resignation — No  conclusion  reached  -  Secre- 
tary of  War  Floyd  tenders  his  resignation — Correspondence  with  the 
President  -  Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Black,  determines  to  resign  if  letter  is 
sent— President  informed— Interview  with  Judge  Black  -  Question  of  per- 
sonal honor  urged  by  the  President  -Commits  draft  of  letter  to  Judge 
Black,  who  comments  upon  it — President's  letter  to  Commissioners — Their 
action — Mr.  Trescot,  the  agent  of  the  State,  interviews  the  President — Sub- 
sequently sees  Mr.  Hunter,  of  Virginia  -  Offers  through  him  that  the  State 
would  withdraw  from  the  forts  if  the  President  would  withdraw  Anderson 
from  Sumter — President  declines — Attorney-General  Stanton's  opinion — 
President  yields,  and  sides  with  the  Union  sentiment. 

THE  news  of  Anderson's  movement  had  been  promptly  carried 
to  Washington,  and,  as  might  have  been  anticipated,  produced 
an  effect  immediate  and  startling.  Unexpected  as  it  was  to  the 
President  or  his  Cabinet,  it  forced  the  issue  upon  them  so  strongly 
as  to  define  their  individual  positions  finally,  and  with  great 
distinctness. 

Meanwhile  the  difficulties  continued  to  increase.  The  Assist- 
ant Secretary  of  State,  having  resigned  his  position,  had  consented, 
upon  the  urgent  request  of  the  Governor,  to  become  the  agent  of 
the  State,  and  he  was  soon  called  upon  to  act  in  that  capacity. 
On  the  23d  a  telegram  from  Governor  Pickens  was  received  by 
him  to  the  effect  that  Governor  Pickens  had  been  informed  that 
thirteen  men  had  arrived  in  Charleston  and  reported  that  they 

140 


FALSE  REPOR T  OF  REINFORCEMENT.  \  A  T 

were  sent  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  were  a  part  of  a  body  of  150  who 
were  to  follow;  and  he  desired  to  know  immediately  if  it  was 
intended  to  reinforce  the  forts  or  to  transfer  any  force  from  Fort 
Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter.  He  asked  for  a  "clear  answer 
immediately  ;  "  and  he  says,  "  Until  the  Commissioners  shall 
negotiate  at  Washington,  there  can  be  no  change  here."  The 
agent  at  once  called  upon  Governor  Floyd.  "  The  Governor  was 
evidently  becoming  impatient  under  the  embarrassments  of  his 
position,  for  it  was  difficult  to  be  accountable  to  the  President  on 
the  one  hand  and  to  the  State  of  South  Carolina  on  the  other. 
He  had  done  everything  that  a  man  in  his  situation  could  do  to 
prove  his  good  faith,  and  he  felt,  very  naturally,  that  the  difficul- 
ties of  his  position  ought  to  be  appreciated,  and  that  explanations 
and  pledges,  perhaps  inconsistent  with  his  duties,  should  not  be 
pressed  except  under  the  very  gravest  necessity.  It  was,  more- 
over, a  matter  of  great  moment  that  in  this  juncture  Governor 
Floyd  should  retain  his  place  in  the  Cabinet  as  long  as  possible, 
and  every  step  he  took  or  did  not  take  was  watched  and  misrepre- 
sented, for  no  man  at  the  South  was  more  cordially  detested  by 
the  Black  Republican  party.  Governor  Floyd  told  me  to  reply 
to  the  Governor  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  foundation  for  any 
alarm,  that  he  knew  nothing  of  any  such  men,  and  any  statement 
to  such  an  effect  was  a  sheer  fabrication,  made,  he  must  suppose, 
for  purposes  of  mischief.  As  for  the  removal  of  troops  to 
Sumter,  he  could  not  see  any  likelihood  of  it ;  that  he  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  send  special  orders  to  that  end  to  Major 
Anderson,  for  he  could  not  consider  it  at  all  probable;  and  that, 
in  fact,  he  thought  any  such  contingency  provided  against  by 
orders  already  sent,  to  which  he  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  refer 
more  specially;  that  the  Commissioners  must  soon  be  in  Wash- 
ington, and  that  he  could  see  no  rational  ground  for  anticipating 
premature  difficulty.  I  thought  this  as  far,  really,  as  he  could  go, 
and  that  to  press  upon  him  or  the  President  more  positive  action 
was  to  risk  the  advantage  that  continued  delay  on  the  part  of  the 
Government  was  giving  to  the  State.  I  therefore  telegraphed  the 
Governor  the  contradiction  he  authorized,  and  waited  with  anxiety 
the  arrival  of  the  Commissioners." 

The  expressions  of  the  Secretary  of  War  were  transmitted  to 
Governor  Pickens,  and  everything  now  awaited  the  anticipated 
arrival  of  the  Commissioners  from  South  Carolina.  On  the  aoth 


142  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  Convention  had  passed  the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  and  on  the 
22d  of  December  the  Governor  of  the  State  transmitted  the 
following  telegram  to  his  agent  in  Washington  : 

"  Sir:  The  Hon.  R.  W.  Barnwell,  the  Hon.  J.  H.  Adams 
and  the  Hon.  James  L.  Orr  have  been  appointed  Commissioners 
by  the  Convention  to  proceed  immediately  to  Washington  to 
present  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  to  the  President,  and  to  nego- 
tiate in  reference  to  the  evacuation  of  the  forts  and  other  matters 
growing  out  of  the  Act  of  Secession.  They  will  probably  arrive 
on  Tuesday  next.  Please  inform  the  President  of  this.  Answer 
this.  (Signed)  "  F.  W.  PICKENS. 

«  Hon.  W.  H.  TRESCOT." 

The  information  was  immediately  carried  to  the  President  by 
Mr.  Trescot.  The  President  inquired  as  to  the  character  of  the 
appointments,  expressed  his  readiness  to  receive  them,  and  his 
determination  to  refer  them  to  Congress. 

On  Wednesday,  the  26th  of  December,  the  Commissioners 
arrived  in  Washington,  and  their  arrival  was  communicated  at 
once  to  the  President  by  the  agent  of  the  State.  Judge  Black, 
who  had  now  entered  upon  his  duties  as  Secretary  of  State,  was 
present,  and  the  subject  was  spoken  of  informally,  and  the  Presi- 
dent appointed  i  o'clock  on  the  following  day,  the  27th  of 
December,  as  the  hour  when  it  would  be  agreeable  to  him  to 
receive  the  Commissioners. 

He  was  told  by  the  agent  of  the  State  that  the  Commissioners 
proposed  to  present  their  credentials  and  have  an  informal  con- 
versation with  him,  but  that  if  it  was  his  intention  to  submit  the 
question  of  their  reception  to  Congress,  they  wished  to  submit  a 
written  communication  to  accompany  his  message.  If,  however, 
the  President  should  agree  in  thinking  it  the  better  course,  the 
Commissioners  would  not  prepare  the  paper  until  after  the  inter- 
view with  him,  when  they  would  better  understand  one  another, 
but  in  that  case  it  was  to  be  considered  that  the  communication 
was  submitted  at  the  interview.  To  this  the  President  consented, 
and  matters  were  approaching  some  definite  solution,  when 
Anderson  made  his  sudden  and  unexpected  movement  from  Fort 
Moultne  to  Fort  Sumter.  The  news  arrived  in  Washington,  at 
once  wholly  changing  the  relations  of  the  parties  and  altering  the 
whole  character  of  the  negotiation. 

"  The  next  morning  early,  I  was  at  the  residence  of  the  Commis- 


INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  PRESIDENT. 


'43 


sioners,  and  while  talking  over  the  condition  of  affairs,  Colonel 
Wigfall,  one  of  the  Senators  from  Texas,  came  in  to  inform  us 
that  the  telegraph  had  just  brought  the  news  that  Major  Anderson 
had  abandoned  Fort  Moultrie,  spiked  his  guns,  burned  his  gun- 
carriages,  cut  down  the  flag-staff  and  removed  his  command  to 
Fort  Sumter.  We  all  expressed  our  disbelief  of  the  intelligence, 
and  after  a  good  deal  of  discussion  as  to  its  probability  I  said, 
'  Well,  at  any  rate,  Colonel,  true  or  not,  I  will  pledge  my  life,  if  it 
has  been  done,  it  has  been  without  orders  from  Washington.'  Just 
as  I  made  the  remark  Governor  Floyd  was  announced.  After  the 
usual  courtesies  of  meeting  I  said,  '  Governor,  Colonel  Wigfall 
has  just  brought  us  this  news — repeating  it — and  as  you  were 
coming  up- stairs  I  said  I  would  pledge  my  life  it  was  without 
orders.'  'You  can  do  more,'  he  said,  smiling,  'You  can  pledge 
your  life,  Mr.  Trescot,  that  it  is  not  so.  It  is  impossible.  It 
would  be  not  only  without  orders,  but  in  the  face  of  orders.  To 
be  very  frank,  Anderson  was  instructed  in  case  he  had  to  abandon 
his  position  to  dismantle  Fort  Sumter,  not  Fort  Moultrie.'  I  asked 
him,  if  his  carriage  was  at  the  door,  to  let  me  take  it  and  go  home, 
as  there  might  be  telegrams  there.  I  went,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
returned  with  two  telegrams  for  Colonel  Barnwell,  which  he  read 
and  handed  to  Governor  Floyd,  saying,  '  I  am  afraid,  Governor, 
it  is  too  true.'  Floyd  read  them,  asked  the  Commissioners  if  the 
authority  was  sufficient,  and  made  no  comment,  but  rose,  saying,  '  I 
must  go  to  the  Department  at  once.' 

"  As  soon  as  he  had  left  I  drove  to  the  Capitol,  communicated 
the  intelligence  to  Senator  Davis,  of  Mississippi,  and  Senator  Hun- 
ter, of  Virginia,  and  asked  them  to  accompany  me  to  the  President. 
We  drove  to  the  White  House,  sent  in  our  names,  and  were  asked 
into  the  President's  room,  where  he  joined  us  in  a  few  moments. 
When'  we  came  in  he  was  evidently  nervous,  and  immediately 
commenced  the  conversation  by  making  some  remark  to  Mr. 
Hunter  concerning  the  removal  of  the  consul  at  Liverpool,  to 
which  Mr.  Hunter  made  a  general  reply.  Colonel  Davis  then  said, 
'  Mr.  President,  we  have  called  upon  an  infinitely  graver  matter 
than  any  consulate.'  'What  is  it?'  said  the  President.  'Have 
you  received  any  intelligence  from  Charleston  in  the  last  few 
hours?  asked  Colonel  Davis.  'None,'  said  the  President. 
'  Then, '  said  Colonel  Davis,  '  I  have  a  great  calamity  to 
announce  to  you.'  He  then  stated  the  facts,  and  added,  '  And 


144  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

now,  Mr.  President,  you  are  surrounded  with  blood  and  dishonor 
on  all  sides."  The  President  was  standing  by  the  mantel-piece, 
crushing  up  a  cigar  in  the  palm  of  one  hand — a  habit  I  have  seen 
him  practice  often.  He  sat  down  as  Colonel  Davis  finished,  and 
exclaimed,  '  My  God,  are  calamities  (or  misfortunes,  I  forget 
which)  never  to  come  singly  !  I  call  God  to  witness,  you  gentlemen, 
better  than  anybody,  know  that  this  is  not  only  without  but  against 
my  orders.  It  is  against  my  policy.'  He  then  expressed  his 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  telegram,  thought  it  strange  that  nothing 
had  been  heard  at  the  War  Department,  said  he  had  not  seen 
Governor  Floyd,  and  finally  sent  a  messenger  for  him.  When 
Goveinor  Floyd  came,  he  said  no  news  had  come  to  the  Depart- 
ment, that  the  heads  of  the  Bureaus  there  thought  it  unlikely,  but 
that  he  had  telegraphed  Major  Anderson  to  this  effect  himself. 
'  There  is  a  report  here  that  you  have  abandoned  Fort  Moultrie, 
spiked  your  guns,  burned  your  carriages  and  gone  to  Fort  Sumter. 
It  is  not  believed,  as  you  had  no  orders  to  justify  it.  Say  at  once 
what  could  have  given  rise  to  such  a  story.' 

"The  President  was  urged  to  take  immediate  action;  he  was 
told  the  probability  was  that  the  remaining  forts  and  the  arsenal 
would  be  seized  and  garrisoned  by  South  Carolina,  and  that  Fort 
Sumter  would  be  attacked;  that  if  he  would  only  say  that  he 
would  replace  matters  as  he  had  pledged  himself  that  they  should 
remain,  there  was  yet  time  to  remedy  the  mischief.  The  discus- 
sion was  long  and  earnest.  At  first  he  seemed  disposed  to 
declare  that  he  would  restore  the  status,  then  hesitated,  said  he 
must  call  his  Cabinet  together;  he  could  not  condemn  Major 
Anderson  unheard.  He  was  told  that  nobody  asked  that;  only 
say  that  if  the  move  had  been  made  without  a  previous  attack 
on  Anderson  he  would  restore  the*  status.  Assure  us  of  that 
determination,  and  then  take  what  time  was  necessary  for  con- 
sultation and  information.  That  resolution  telegraphed  would 
restore  confidence  and  enable  the  Commissioners  to  continue 
their  negotiation.  This  he  declined  doing,  and  after  adjourning 
his  appointment  to  receive  the  Commissioners  until  the  next  day 
we  left.  On  our  way  out  we  met  General  Lane,  Senators  Bigler, 
Mallory,  Yulie,  and  some  others  on  their  way  to  make  the  same 
remonstrance,  for  the  news  was  over  the  city.  Later  in  the  day  I 
saw  him  again,  to  show  him  some  telegrams  fuller  in  details. 
Senator  Slidell  was  with  him,  but  all  that  he  did  was  to  authorize 


OPINIONS  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 

me  to  telegraph  that  Anderson's  movement  was  not  only  without 
but  against  his  orders." 

The  following  is  the  actual  text  of  the  telegrams  that  passed: 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

"December  27,  1860. 

"Intelligence  has  reached  here  this  morning  that  you  have 
abandoned  Fort  Moultrie,  spiked  your  guns,  burned  the  carriages 
and  gone  to  Fort  Sumter. 

"  It  is  not  believed,  because  there  is  no  order  for  any  such 
movement.  Explain  the  meaning  of  this  report. 

(Signed)  "J.  B.  FLOYD, 

"  Secretary  of  War." 

The  reply  of  Major  Anderson  was  immediate.     He  said: 

"CHARLESTON,  December  27,  1860. 

"  The  telegram  is  correct.  I  abandoned  Fort  Moultrie  because 
I  was  certain  that,  if  attacked,  my  men  must  have  been  sacrificed, 
and  the  command  of  the  harbor  lost.  I  spiked  the  guns  and 
destroyed  the  carriages  to  keep  the  guns  from  being  used  against 
us.  If  attacked,  the  garrison  would  never  have  surrendered  with- 
out a  fight. 

(Signed)     "  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"  Major  First  Artillery. 
" Hon  J.  B.  FLOYD,  Secretary  of  War" " 

What  had  just  been  made  known  had  occasioned  the  President 
astonishment  and  regret.  He  had  belived  that  Major  Anderson 
was  safe  in  his  position,  and  that  the  coming  of  the  Commissioners 
would  determine  the  solution  of  the  difficulty,  by  whatever  action 
Congress  should  see  fit  to  take.  The  movement  of  Major  Ander- 
son would,  he  feared,  so  excite  the  sympathy  of  the  cotton  and  bor- 
der States,  that  South  Carolina  would  no  longer  be  alone  in  her  act 
of  secession;  that  the  measures  of  compromise  yet  pending  before 
the  Committee  of  Thirteen  of  the  Senate  would  be  suspended 
or  defeated,  and  that  in  his  hope  to  confine  secession  to  the  State 
of  South  Carolina  alone  he  would  be  disappointed.  But  before  he 
would  take  any  positive  action,  he  determined  to  await  "official 
information  "  from  Major  Anderson  himself.  He  could  not,  under 
his  instructions,  have  made  such  a  movement  as  was  attributed  to 
him  unless  he  had  the  "  tangible  evidence"  of  an  impending  attack 
upon  him,  and  of  this  there  was  as  yet  no  proof. 

The  Cabinet  was  called  together  immediately.     As  the  mem- 


146  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

bers  assembled,  Major  Buell,  who  had  carried  the  orders  to  Major 
Anderson,  and  who  had  been  sent  for  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  now 
joined  him  in  the  hall  of  the  President's  mansion.  The  Secretary 
at  once  accosted  him.  "  This  is  a  very  unfortunate  move  of  Major 
Anderson,"  said  he  ;  "  it  has  made  war  inevitable."  "  I  do  not 
think  so,  sir,"  replied  Major  Buell;  "on  the  contrary,  I  think  that 
it  will  tend  to  avert  war,  if  war  can  be  averted."  "  But,"  said  the 
Secretary,  "  it  has  compromised  the  President. "  But  little 
else  was  said,  and  Major  Buell  was  left  uncertain  as  to  the  object 
of  his  summons.  As  the  members  proceeded  to  the  room  the 
criticisms  upon  Anderson's  movement  were  severe  and  general. 

All  seemed  to  think  that  he  had  acted  without  orders.  Secre- 
tary Floyd  was  loudly  condemnatory  of  Anderson's  action.  He 
had  disobeyed  his  instructions;  there  was  no  reason  for  his  move- 
ment, and  he  had  broken  a  definitely  understood  agreement  with- 
out any  authority  for  it.  The  existence  of  the  orders  of  the  nth 
of  December,  transmitted  to  Major  Anderson  by  Major  Buell, 
seemed  to  be  ignored  or  forgotten,  when  the  attention  of  the  Cabi- 
net was  promptly  called  to  them  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  Judge 
Black.  He  claimed,  as  he  clearly  stated,  that  Anderson  had  acted 
wholly  within  the  purview  of  his  instructions,  and  in  accordance 
with  his  orders  ;  referring  pointedly  to  the  orders  sent  to  him  on 
the  nth  of  December.  He  suggested  that  the  order  should  be 
sent  for  to  the  War  Department,  when  it  was  produced  and  again 
read  in  the  presence  of  the  President  and  Cabinet.  The  paper 
itself  contained  the  endorsement  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  affirm- 
ing its  correctness;  and  so  completely  had  it  been  forgotten  by  the 
President,  who  possibly  had  regarded  it  as  a  matter  of  routine 
only,  that  in  his  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  Commissioners  on  the 
3ist  of  December  he  stated  that  the  order  had  been  issued  to  Major 
Anderson  on  the  nth  of  December,  but  that  it  had  not  been 
brought  to  his  notice  until  the  2ist  of  that  month.  Although  this 
important  order  involved  to  a  greater  degree  than  any  other 
consideration  the  question  of  peace  or  war  to  the  country,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  was  for  ten  days  wholly  ignorant  of 
its  existence. 

On  the  2oth  of  December  the  Commissioners  had  their  first  and 
only  interview  with  the  President.  He  received  them  courteously 
and  as  private  gentlemen  alone.  He  listened  to  their  statement, 
but  informed  them  that  it  was  to  Congress  they  must  look,  at  the 


LETTER  OF  COMMISSIONERS. 

same  time  expressing  his  willingness  to  lay  before  Congress  any 
"  propositions  "  they  might  make  to  him.  They  were  excited 
during  the  interview,  the  action  of  Major  Anderson  having  added 
greatly  to  the  feeling  already  existing.  They  had  come  to  Wash- 
ington to  find  the  Cabinet  divided  upon  the  question  most  import- 
ant to  themselves. 

A  letter  had  been  prepared  setting  forth  the  authority  for  their 
mission,  their  purposes  and  views,  but  in  accordance  with  a 
previous  understanding,  already  stated,  this  letter  was  not  pre- 
sented at  the  interview  with  the  President,  but  transmittted  to 
him  on  the  morning  of  the  following  day,  the  zpth.  In  this  letter 
they  transmitted  to  him  a  copy  of  the  full  powers  from  the  Con- 
vention of  the  people  of  South  Carolina,  under  which  they  were: 
"  Authorized  and  empowered  to  treat  with  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  for  the  delivery  of  the  forts,  magazines,  light- 
houses, and  other  real  estate,  with  their  appurtenances,  within  the 
limits  of  South  Carolina,  and  also  for  an  apportionment  of  the 
public  debt,  and  for  a  division  of  all  other  property  held  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  as  agent  of  the  confederated 
States,  of  which  South  Carolina  was  recently  a  member."  They 
were  also  to  negotiate  in  reference  to  all  proper  measures  and 
arrangements  required  by  the  existing  relations  of  the  parties,  and 
for  the  "  continuance  of  peace  and  amity."  In  the  performance 
of  their  trust,  they  presented  an  official  copy  of  the  Ordinance  of 
Secession,  by  which,  as  their  letter  stated,  the  State  of  South 
Carolina  had  resumed  the  powers  delegated  by  her  to  the  General 
Government,  and  had  declared  her  "perfect  sovereignty  and 
independence." 

They  would  have  been  ready  to  enter  upon  the  negotiation 
of  all  questions  thus  raised,  with  the  desire  of  an  amicable 
adjustment,  but  the  events  of  the  last  twenty-four  hours  rendered 
such  assurance  impossible.  An  officer  of  the  United  States,  act- 
ing not  only  without  but  against  the  orders  of  the  President,  had 
dismantled  one  fort  and  occupied  another,  which  could  at  any 
time  during  the  last  sixty  days  have  been  taken  by  the  State  "  but 
which,  upon  pledges  given  in  a  manner  that  they  could  not  doubt," 
determined  to  trust  to  the  "  honor  of  the  President,  rather  than  its 
own  power." 

Until  an  explanation  should  be  made  which  should  relieve 
them  from  all  doubt  as  to  the  spirit  in  which  the  negotiations 


148  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

should  be  conducted,  they  would  suspend  all  discussion  as  to  an 
amicable  adjustment,  and  they  closed  their  communication  by  urg- 
ing upon  the  President  the  immediate  withdrawal  of  the  troops 
from  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  "  as  they  were  a  standing  menace 
which  rendered  negotiations  impossible  and  threatened  a  bloody 
issue." 

This  interview  between  the  President  and  the  Commissioners 
from  South  Carolina  lasted  nearly  two  hours,  and  is  important,  as 
showing  the  wavering  position  of  the  President  at  that  time,  as 
well  as  the  determined  course  of  the  State.  "  The  Honorable 
R.  W.  Barnwell  acted  as  the  chairman  of  the  Commission.  He 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  President  the  arrangement  which 
had  been  made  early  in  December,  between  him  and  the  South 
Carolina  delegation  ;  that  it  had  been  observed  in  good  faith  by 
the  people  of  South  Carolina,  who  could  at  any  time,  after  the 
arrangement  was  made,  up  to  the  night  when  Major  Anderson 
removed  to  Sumter,  have  occupied  Fort  Sumter  and  captured 
Moultrie  with  all  its  command  ;  that  the  removal  of  Anderson 
violated  that  agreement  on  the  part  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  and  that  the  faith  of  the  President  and  the  Govern- 
ment had  been  thereby  forfeited.  The  President  made  various 
excuses  why  he  should  be  allowed  time  to  decide  the  question 
whether  Anderson  should  be  ordered  back  to  Moultrie  and  the 
former  status  restored.  Mr.  Barnwell  pressed  him  with  great  zeal 
and  earnestness  to  issue  the  order  at  once.  Mr.  Buchanan  still 
hesitating,  Mr.  Barnwell  said  to  him,  at  least  three  times  during 
the  interview  :*  "  But,  Mr.  President,  your  personal  honor  is 
involved  in  this  matter  ;  the  faith  you  pledged  has  been  violated; 
and  your  personal  honor  requires  you  to  issue  the  order."  Mr. 
Barnwell  pressed  him  so  hard  upon  this  point  that  the  President 
said  :  "  You  must  give  me  time  to  consider — this  is  a  grave  ques- 
tion." Mr.  Barnwell  replied  to  him  for  the  third  time  :  "  But, 
Mr.  President,  your  personal  honor  is  involved  in  this  arrange- 
ment." Whereupon  Mr.  Buchanan,  with  great  earnestness,  said  : 
"  Mr.  Barnwell,  you  are  pressing  me  too  importunately  ;  you  don't 
give  me  time  to  consider  ;  you  don't  give  me  time  to  say  my 
prayers.  I  always  say  my  prayers  when  required  to  act  upon  any 


*  Letter  of  the  Hon.  James  L.  Orr  to  writer,  September  21,  1871.     Mr.  Orr 
was  one  of  the  Commissioners,  and  was  present  at  the  interview. 


ITS  EFFECT  UPON  THE  CABINET. 

great  State  affair."  The  interview  terminated  without  eliciting  an 
order  from  the  President  to  restore  the  status  of  the  troops  in 
Charleston  Harbor. 

The  President  received  the  letter  of  the  Commissioners  cour- 
teously, and  promised  a  reply,  which  he  wrote,  and  the  draft  of 
which  he  presented  to  his  Cabinet  the  same  day.  He  had  early 
called  his  advisers  together  on  the  2-jth,  after  the  intelligence  of 
Anderson's  movement  had  reached  Washington,  and  their  sessions 
were  repeated  by  day  and  night,  but  they  were  so  divided  in  sen- 
timent, that  they  were  upon  the  point  of  separation  themselves. 
The  Cabinet  at  this  period  consisted  of  Judge  Black,  Secretary  of 
State ;  Phil.  F.  Thomas,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  ;  Jacob 
Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Interior  ;  Joseph  Holt,  Postmaster- 
General  ;  John  B.  Floyd,  Secretary  of  W?r  ;  Toucey,  Secretary 
of  the  Navy;  and  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Attorney-General.  But  the 
differences  of  opinion  were  as  conspicuous  in  the  new  as  in  the  old 
Cabinet,  and  when  the  President,  on  the  evening  of  the  2pth  of 
December,  submitted  to  his  advisers  the  paper  he  had  prepared  in 
reply  to  the  Commissioners  from  South  Carolina,  but  one  member, 
Mr.  Toucey,  wholly  approved  it.  Of  the  six  remaining  mem- 
bers, three,  Judge  Black,  Mr.  Holt  and  Mr.  Stanton,  suggested 
changes  in  the  paper,  holding  that,  from  its  unguarded  language, 
it  was  open  to  the  criticism  of  seeming  to  make  concessions,  which 
it  could  not  be  the  purpose  of  the  President  or  his  Cabinet  to 
make.  The  President  made  no  reply,  but,  as  was  his  custom,  took 
the  suggestions  under  consideration.  The  three  remaining  mem- 
bers, Mr.  Thompson,  Mr.  Thomas  and  Mr.  Floyd,  opposed  it 
because  it  yielded  too  little  to  the  demands  of  the  Commission- 
ers. Such  consideration  as  was  then  given  to  the  paper  having 
led  to  no  special  determination  before  the  adjournment  of  the 
Cabinet,  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Floyd,  produced  a  paper  that 
he  had  prepared,  and,  in  a  "  discourteous  and  excited  tone,"  read 
in  the  presence  of  the  President  and  his  Cabinet  a  recommenda- 
tion that  the  troops  in  Charleston  Harbor  should  be  withdrawn. 

The  tenor  of  this  paper  caused  the  President  great  astonishment. 
The  Secretary  followed  it  by  his  resignation  on  the  following 
morning,  the  3oth,  offering  at  the  same  time  to  continue  in  office 
until  the  appointment  of  his  successor.  His  resignation,  which  had 
been  called  for  by  the  President  as  long  before  as  the  23d  of 
December,  was  at  once  accepted  without  reference  to  the  offer 


I  50  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

made,  and  Postmaster-General  Holt  was  appointed  Secretary  of 
War,  and  entered  at  once  upon  the  duties  of  his  office. 

The  change  was  at  once  reported  to  Charleston  by  Senator 
Wigfall,  of  Texas,  who  telegraphed  on  the  2d  of  January  to  the 
Hon.  M.  L.  Bonham,  Charleston,  South  Carolina:  "  Holt  suc- 
ceeds Floyd.  It  means  war.  Cut  off  supplies  from  Anderson  and 
take  Sumter  as  soon  as  possible."* 

The  correspondence  with  the  President  was  as  follows  : 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

"December  29,  1860. 

"Sir:  On  the  morning  of  the  2-jth  inst.  I  read  the  following 
paper  to  you  in  the  presence  of  the  Cabinet,  in  the  Council  Cham- 
ber of  the  Executive  Mansion. 

"'Sir:  It  is  evident  now,  from  the  action  of  the  commander 
of  Fort  Moultrie,  that  the  solemn  pledges  of  the  Government  have 
been  violated  by  Major  Anderson. 

"  '  In  my  judgment  but  one  remedy  is  now  left  us,  by  which  to 
vindicate  our  honor  and  prevent  civil  war.  It  is  in  vain  now  to 
hope  for  confidence  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  South  Carolina  in 
any  further  pledges  as  to  the  action  of  the  military.  One  remedy 
only  is  left,  and  it  is  to  withdraw  the  garrison  from  the  harbor  of 
Charleston  altogether.  I  hope  that  the  President  will  allow  me  to 
make  that  order  at  once.  This  order,  in  my  judgment,  can  alone 
prevent  bloodshed  and  civil  war. 

(Signed)          "  '  JOHN  B.  FLOYD, 

"  '  Secretary  of  War. 
" '  To  THE  PRESIDENT.' 

"  I  then  considered  the  honor  of  the  administration  pledged  to 
maintain  the  troops  in  the  position  they  occupied,  for  such  had 
been  the  assurance  given  to  gentlemen  of  South  Carolina  who 
had  the  right  to  speak  for  her.  South  Carolina,  on  the  other  hand, 
gave  reciprocal  pledges  that  no  force  should  be  brought  by  them 
against  the  troops  or  against  the  property  of  the  United  States. 
The  sole  object  of  both  parties  to  these  reciprocal  pledges  was  to^. 
prevent  a  collision  and  the  effusion  of  blood,  in  the  hope  that  some 
means  might  be  found  for  a  peaceful  accommodation  of  existing 
troubles,  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  having  both  raised  Commit- 
tees looking  to  that  object.  Thus  affairs  stood  until  Major  Ander- 
son's step — unfortunately  taken  while  Congress  was  striving,  while 
Commissioners  were  on  their  way  to  this  Capital  on  a  peaceful 
commission  looking  to  the  avoidance  of  bloodshed — has  compli- 
cated matters  in  the  existing  manner.  Our  refusal  or  even  our 
delay  to  place  affairs  back  as  they  stood  under  our  agreement, 
invites  a  collision  and  must  inevitably  inaugurate  civil  war.  I  can- 


War  of  the  Rebellion,  page  252.     Telegram. 


ACTION  OF  SECRETAR  Y  OF  STA TE.  j  r  j 

not  consent  to  be  the  agent  of  such  a  calamity.     I  deeply  reeret 
to  feel  myself  under  the  necessity  of  tendering  to  you  my  resigna 
tion  as  Secretary  of  War,  because  I  can  no  longer  hold  the  office 
under  my  convictions  of  patriotism,  nor  with  honor,  subjected    as 
I  am,  to  a  violation  of  solemn  pledges  and  plighted  faith, 
"  With  the  highest  personal  regard, 

"  I  am,  most  truly  yours, 

(Signed)         "JOHN  B.  FLOYD. 
"To  His  EXCELLENCY  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES." 

To  this  the  President  made  the  following  reply: 

"WASHINGTON,  December  31,  1860. 

"  My  Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  and  accepted  your  resigna- 
tion of  the  office  of  Secretary  of  War,  and  not  wishing  to  impose 
upon  you  the  task  of  performing  its  mere  routine  duties,  which 
you  have  so  kindly  offered  to  do,  I  have  authorized  Postmaster- 
General  Holt  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  Department  until 
your  successor  shall  be  appointed. 

"  Yours  very  respectfully, 
(Signed)        "JAMES  BUCHANAN, 
"To  Hon.  JOHN  B.  FLOYD." 

The  differences  of  opinion  in  the  Cabinet,  on  the  paper  sub- 
mitted by  the  President  as  his  reply  to  the  South  Carolina  Com- 
missioners, were  so  irreconcilable  as  to  threaten  its  dissolution. 

Th^  President  seemed  to  be  firm  in  the  position  he  had  taken, 
and  it  was  thought  that  his  mind  could  not  be  changed.  But  the 
member  of  the  Cabinet  that  seemed  more  impressed  by  the 
erroneous  view  contained  in  the  reply  of  the  President  was  the 
Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Black.  When  the  Cabinet  had  ad- 
journed their  session  he  sought  the  Postmaster-General,  Holt, 
with  whom  he  conferred,  and  who  fully  agreed  with  him  as  to  the 
necessity  of  making  important  changes  in  the  President's  letter 
before  its  transmittal  to  the  Commissioners. 

He  then  sought  an  interview  with  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  and  informed  him  of  his  intention,  in  case  the  letter 
of  the  President  was  insisted  upon,  to  submit  his  resignation.  He 
had  known  nothing  of  the  alleged  understanding  between  the 
President  and  the  South  Carolina  delegation  until  now,  and  he 
had  no  reason  to  believe  that  the  views  of  the  President  would  be 
modified  or  changed,  and  he  shrank  from  the  interview  which  he 
knew  was  now  inevitable.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  at  once  com- 
municated the  fact  to  the  President,  who  sent  immediately  for  his 
Secretary  of  State,  when  a  long  and  earnest  conference  took  place. 


I  5  2  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  Do  you,  too,  talk  of  leaving  me  ? "  said  the  President,  with 
feeling,  as  he  stated  the  information  that  had  just  been  communi- 
cated to  him  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  He  referred  to  their  as- 
sociation and  mutual  respect,  that  had  so  long  existed,  while  he  at 
the  same  time  assured  the  Secretary  that  his  intention  was  to  sub- 
mit the  paper  to  his  judgment  before  transmitting  it  to  the  Commis- 
sioners. The  Secretary  of  State  replied  that  he  was  not  aware  of 
the  course  the  President  intended  to  pursue;  that  he  could  not 
know  it;  and  that  he  felt  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him, 
holding  the  views  that  he  did,  to  remain  in  the  Cabinet  and  to 
appear  to  endorse  the  positions  stated  in  the  reply  which  the  Presi- 
dent contemplated  making  to  the  South  Carolina  Commissioners. 

The  President  then  proposed  to  amend,  at  the  suggestion  of 
his  Secretary,  the  paper  in  question.  This  was  declined  by  Judge 
Black,  as  was  also  the  proposal  that  he  should  there  and  then 
make,  himself,  the  proposed  modifications.  "  If  what  I  propose," 
said  he,  "  is  adopted,  the  whole  paper  must  be  recast."  The  posi- 
tion of  the  President  involved,  was  the  subject  of  an  earnest  dis- 
cussion. 

In  regard  to  any  "  understanding,"  or  "agreement,"  the  Presi- 
dent had  acknowledged  it,  and  claimed  that  he  was  affected  by  it 
personally.  "  You  do  not  seem  to  appreciate,  Judge  Black,"  said 
he,  "  that  my  personal  honor  as  a  gentleman  is  involved."  "  Such 
an  understanding,"  said  Judge  Black,  "is  impossible.  You  could 
not  make  it,  or  any  agreement  with  any  one  that  would  tie  your 
hands  in  the  execution  of  the  laws,  and  if  you  did  make  it.  you 
must  retire  from  it."  Finally,  the  President  yielded  his  objections, 
and  committed  the  paper  which  he  had  submitted  to  his  Cabinet 
into  the  hands  of  his  Secretary  of  State.* 


*  During  the  reign  of  George  IV.  it  became  desirable  that  Mr.  Canning 
should  enter  the  Cabinet.  The  King  was  opposed  to  him  on  account  of  "the 
sympathy  and  friendship  which  he  had  always  shown  for  the  Queen."  The 
Duke  of  Wellington  essayed  to  make  the  conversion,  but  His  Majesty  told  him 
that  he  had  pledged  his  honor,  as  a  gentleman,  never  to  receive  Mr.  Canning 
again  as  one  of  his  ministers.  "  You  hear,  Arthur,  on  my  honor,  as  a  gentle- 
man." The  Duke,  as  Sir  H.  Bulwer  relates  told  the  King  that  he  was  not  a 
gentleman;  and  upon  the  King  starting  back  in  surprise,  the  Duke  added  that 
he  was  "not  a  gentleman,  but  the  Sovereign  of  England,  with  duties  to  his 
people,  and  that  those  duties  rendered  it  imperative  to  call  in  the  services  of 
Mr.  Canning."  The  King  drew  a  long  breath  and  said,  "  Well,  if  I  must  I 
must." — "  The  Croker  Papers."  Vol.  I,  p.  222. 


JUDGE  BLACK  AMENDS  PRESIDENTS  LETTER. 


'53 


Judge  Black  immediately  went  to  the  Office  of  the  Attorney- 
General,  Stanton,  and  there  proceeded  to  make  the  following 
amendments  to  the  letter  of  the  President.  As  fast  as  the  sheets 
were  written  they  were  handed  to  the  Attorney-General,  who 
copied  them  in  his  own  hand,  the  original  being  sent  directly  to 
the  President. 

The  amendments  of  Judge  Black  were  as  follows  : 
"  Memorandum  for  the  President  on  the  subject  of  the  paper 
drawn    up  by   him   in  reply  to    the  Commissioners   of    South 
Carolina: 

"  i  st.  The  first  and  the  concluding  paragraphs  both  seem  to 
acknowledge  the  right  of  South  Carolina  to  be  represented  near 
this  Government  by  diplomatic  officers.  That  implies  that  she  is 
an  independent  nation,  with  no  other  relations  to  the  Government 
of  the  Union  than  any  other  foreign  power.  If  such  be  the  fact, 
then  she  has  acquired  all  the  rights,  powers,  and  responsibilities 
of  a  separate  government  by  the  mere  Ordinance  of  Secession, 
which  passed  her  Convention  a  few  days  ago.  But  the  President 
has  always,  and  particularly  in  his  late  message  to  Congress, 
denied  the  right  of  secession,  and  asserted  that  no  State  could 
throw  off  her  Federal  obligations  in  that  way. 

"  Moreover,  the  President  has  always  very  distinctly  declared 
that  even  if  a  State  could  secede  and  go  out  of  the  Union  at 
pleasure,  whether  by  revolution  or  in  the  exercise  of  a  constitutional 
right,  he  could  not  recognize  her  independence  without  being  guilty 
of  usurpation.  I  think,  therefore,  that  every  word  and  sentence 
which  imply  that  South  Carolina  is  in  an  attitude  which  enables 
the  President  to  treat  or  negotiate  with  her,  or  to  receive  her 
Commissioners  in  the  character  of  diplomatic  members  or  agents, 
ought  to  be  stricken  out,  and  an  explicit  declaration  substituted 
which  would  reassert  the  principles  of  the  message. 

"  It  is  surely  not  enough  that  the  words  of  the  message  be 
transcribed,  if  the  doctrine  there  announced  be  practically  aban- 
doned by  carrying  on  a  negotiation. 

"  2d.  I  would  strike  out  all  expressions  of  regret  that  the 
Commissioners  are  unwilling  to  proceed  with  the  negotiation,  since 
it  is  very  clear  that  there  can  legally  be  no  negotiation  with  them, 
whether  they  are  willing  or  not. 

"3d.  Above  all  things  it  is  objectionable  to  intimate  a  willingness 
to  negotiate  with  the  State  of  South  Carolina  about  the  possession 
of  a  military  post  which  belongs  to  the  United  States,  or  to  pro- 
pose any  adjustment  of  the  subject  or  any  arrangement  about  it. 
"  The  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston  belong  to  this  Govern- 
ment, are  its  own,  and  cannot  be  given  up.  It  is  true  they  might 
be  surrendered  to  a  superior  force,  whether  that  force  be  in  the 
service  of  a  seceding  State  or  a  foreign  nation.  But  Fort  Sumter 


154  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

is  impregnable,  and  cannot  be  taken  if  defended  as  it  should  be. 
It  is  a  thing  of  the  last  importance  that  it  should  be  maintained, 
if  all  the  power  of  this  nation  can  do  it  ;  for  the  command  of  the 
harbor  and  the  President's  ability  to  execute  the  Revenue  laws 
may  depend  on  it. 

"  4th.  The  words, '  coercing  a  State  by  force  of  arms  to  remain 
in  the  Confederacy' — a  power  which  I  do  not  believe  the  Constitu- 
tion has  conferred  upon  Congress — ought  certainly  not  to  be 
retained.  They  are  too  vague,  and  might  have  the  effect  (which 
I  am  sure  the  President  does  not  intend)  to  mislead  the  Commis- 
sioners concerning  his  sentiments. 

"  The  power  to  defend  the  public  property,  to  resist  an  assail- 
ing force  which  unlawfully  attempts  to  drive  out  the  troops  of  the 
United  States  from  one  of  their  fortifications,  and  to  use  the  mili- 
tary and  naval  forces  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  proper  officers 
of  the  United  States  in  the  execution  of  the  laws — this,  as  far  as 
it  goes,  is  coercion,  and  may  very  well  be  called  '  coercing  a  State 
by  force  of  arms  to  remain  in  the  Union.  The  President  has 
always  asserted  his  right  of  coercion  to  that  extent.  He  merely 
denies  the  right  of  Congress  to  make  offensive  war  upon  a  State  of 
the  Union,  as  such  might  be  made  upon  a  foreign  Government. 

"5th.  The  implied  assent  of  the  President  to  the  accusation 
which  the  Commissioners  make,  of  a  compact  with  South  Carolina 
by  which  he  was  bound  not  to  take  whatever  measures  he  saw  fit 
for  the  defense  of  the  forts,  ought  to  be  stricken  out  and  a  flat 
denial  of  any  such  bargain  or  pledge  or  agreement  asserted.  The 
paper  signed  by  the  late  Members  of  Congress  from  South  Caro- 
lina does  not  bear  any  such  construction,  and  this,  as  I  under- 
stand, is  the  only  transaction  between  the  South  Carolinians  and 
him  which  bears  upon  the  subject,  either  directly  or  indirectly. 
I  think  it  deeply  concerns  the  President's  reputation  that  he 
should  contradict  this  statement,  since,  if  it  be  undenied,  it  puts 
him  in  the  attitude  of  an  executive  officer  who  voluntarily  disarms 
himself  of  the  power  to  perform  his  duty,  and  ties  up  his  hands 
so  that  he  cannot,  without  breaking  his  word,  '  preserve,  protect 
and  defend  the  Constitution,'  see  the  laws  faithfully  executed. 
The  fact  that  he  pledged  himself  in  any  such  way  cannot  be  true. 
The  Commissioners,  no  doubt,  have  been  so  informed.  But 
there  must  be  some  mistake  about  it.  It  arose,  doubtless,  out  of 
the  President's  anxious  and  laudable  desire  to  avoid  civil  war, 
and  his  often  expressed  determination  not  even  to  furnish  an 
excuse  for  an  outbreak  at  Charleston  by  reinforcing  Major 
Anderson,  unless  it  was  absolutely  necessary. 

"  6th.  The  remotest  expression  of  a  doubt  about  Major  Ander- 
son's perfect  propriety  of  behavior  should  be  carfully  avoided. 
He  is  not  only  a  gallant  and  meritorious  officer,  who  is  entitled 
to  a  fair  hearing  before  he  is  condemned:  he  has  saved  the 


THEIR  EFFECT  UPON  THE  PRESIDENT. 


155 


country,  I  solemnly  believe,  when  its  day  was  darkest  and  its 
peril  most  extreme.'* 

"  He  has  done  everything  that  mortal  man  could  do  to  repair 
the  fatal  error  which  the  administration  have  committed  in  not 
sending  down  troops  enough  to  hold  all  the  forts.  He  has  kept 
the  strongest  one.  He  still  commands  the  harbor.  We  may  still 
execute  the  laws,  if  we  try.  Besides,  there  is  nothing  in  the 
orders  which  were  sent  him  by  the  War  Department  which  is  in 
the  slightest  degree  contravened  by  his  act  of  throwing  his  com- 
mand into  Fort  Sumter.  Even  if  those  orders,  sent  without  your 
knowledge,  did  forbid  him  to  leave  a  place  where  his  men  might 
have  perished,  and  shelter  them  under  a  stronger  position,  we 
ought  all  of  us  to  rejoice  that  he  broke  such  orders. 

"  7th.  The  idea  that  a  wrong  was  committed  against  South. 
Carolina  by  moving  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter  ought  ta 
be  repelled  as  firmly  as  may  be  consistent  with  a  proper  respect 
for  the  high  character  of  the  gentlemen  who  compose  the  South 
Carolina  Commission.  It  is  a  strange  assumption  of  right  on  the 
part  of  that  State  to  say  that  the  United  States  troops  must 
remain  in  the  weakest  position  they  can  find  in  the  harbor.  It  is 
not  a  menace  of  South  Carolina  or  of  Charleston,  or  any  menace 
at  all:  it  is  simply  self-defense.  If  South  Carolina  does  not  attack 
Major  Anderson,  no  human  being  will  be  injured,  for  there  cer- 
tainly can  be  no  reason  to  believe  that  he  will  commence  hostilities. 
The  apparent  objection  to  his  being  in  Fort  Sumter  is,  that  he  will 
be  less  likely  to  fall  an  easy  prey  to  his  assailants. 

"  These  are  the  points  on  which  I  would  advise  that  the  paper 
be  amended.  I  am  aware  that  they  are  too  radical  to  permit 
much  hope  of  their  adoption.  If  they  are  adopted,  the  whole  paper 
will  need  to  be  recast. 

"  But  there  is  one  thing  not  to  be  overlooked  in  this  terrible  crisis. 
I  entreat  the  President  to  order  the  Brooklyn  and  the  Macedonian 
to  Charleston  without  the  least  delay,  and  in  the  meantime  send  a 
trusty  messenger  to  Major  Anderson  to  let  him  know  that  his 
Government  will  not  desert  him.  The  reinforcements  of  troops 
from  New  York  or  Old  Point  Comfort  should  follow  immedi- 
ately. 

"  If  this  be  done  at  once,  all  may  yet  be,  not  well,  but  com- 
paratively safe.  If  not,  I  can  see  nothing  before  us  but  disaster, 
and  ruin  to  the  country."! 

Unexpectedly,  the  paper  presented  by  his  Secretary  produced 


*  On  this  subject  Judge  Black  wholly  changed  his  opinion. 
\  From  original  paper,  in  Mr.  Stanton's  handwriting. 


156  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

an  effect  upon  the  President  that  could  not  have  been  anticipated. 
He  now  entirely  changed  his  ground  upon  many  points  on  which  he 
had  heretofore  been  determined.  He  had  ever  felt  the  weight  of 
the  great  responsibility  resting  upon  him,  and  he  believed  that  in 
avoiding  a  collision  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston  war  could  be 
avoided,  the  border  States  tranquilized  and  a  peaceful  arrange- 
ment of  the  difficulties  made  possible.  Upon  one  point  he  was 
inflexible,  and  from  it  he  never  wavered,  and  that  was  his  determi- 
nation never,  under  any  pressure  of  circumstances,  to  surrender  the 
forts  at  Charleston,  and  to  this  resolve  he  adhered  to  the  last. 
He  had  thought  of  returning  Anderson  to  his  former  position  at 
Fort  Moultrie,  and  thus  restoring  the  status  in  the  harbor,  as  far 
as  he  was  concerned,  and  the  greatest  pressure,  both  within  and 
without  the  Cabinet,  had  been  brought  to  bear  upon  him ;  and  had 
it  not  been  for  the  prompt  course  of  his  Secretary  of  State,  as  well 
as  the  fact  that  the  State  had  seized  the  vacant  forts  in  the  harbor, 
there  is  every  probability  that  such  would  have  been  his  course. 
But  he  yielded  to  the  arguments  so  forcibly  placed  before  him, 
and  prepared  and  transmitted  to  the  Commissioners,  on  the  3d  of 
December,  a  reply  to  their  communication  so  clear  in  its  statement 
and  so  positive  in  its  terms  as  to  leave  no  longer  any  illusion  as 
to  either  his  conclusions  or  his  purpose. 

He  referred  the  Commissioners  to  his  message  of  the  3d  of 
December,  in  which  he  had  stated  that  the  Executive  had  no 
authority  to  decide  as  to  the  relations  between  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment and  South  Carolina,  and  that  it  was  his  "  duty  to  submit 
to  Congress  the  whole  question  in  all  its  bearings,"  and  that  they 
were  aware  that  such  was  still  his  opinion.  His  earnest  desire  was 
that  Congress,  who  alone  possessed  the  power,  might  so  dispose 
of  the  subject  as  to  prevent  the  inauguration  of  a  civil  war  in  regard 
to  the  possession  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston.  He 
deeply  regretted  that,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Commissioners,  "  the 
events  of  the  last  twenty-four  hours  "  rendered  this  impossible. 
In  regard  to  the  alleged  "  pledges "  referred  to  in  the  letter 
of  the  Commissioners  and  their  violation,  the  President  again 
referred  to  his  message  to  Congress  in  regard  to  the  property  of 
the  United  States  in  South  Carolina,  and  the  tenure  under  which 
it  was  held.  He  recalled  the  interview  of  the  8th  of  December, 
between  himself  and  some  of  the  members  of  the  delegation  of 
South  Carolina  in  Congress,  and  quoted  in  extenso,  the  memoran- 


PRESIDENT  REPLIES  TO  COMMISSIONERS.  157 

dum  left  with  him  by  those  members  ;  and  he  pointedly  refers  to 
his  objection  at  the  time  to  the  word  "  provided,"  as  capable  of  a 
construction  into  an  agreement  upon  his  part  which  he  "  never 
would  make  ; "  and  he  stated,  also,  the  reply  of  the  delegation, 
that  nothing  was  further  from  their  intention,  they  did  not  so 
understand  it,  and  that  he,  the  President,  should  not  so  consider 
it.  He  denies,  too,  that  the  delegation  could  enter  into  any  recip- 
rocal arrangement  with  him,  and  that  they  did  not  profess  to  have 
authority  to  do  this,  and  were  acting  in  their  individual  characters; 
and  he  states  that  he  "  considered  it  as  nothing  more  than  the 
promise  of  highly  honorable  gentlemen  "  to  exert  their  personal 
influence  in  the  matter.  It  was  his  "  determination  not  to  rein- 
force the  forts  in  the  harbor  until  they  had  been  actually 
attacked,"  or  until  he  had  certain  evidence  that  they  were  about 
to  be  attacked. 

He  assures  the  Commissioners  that  he  acted  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  he  would  have  done  had  he  entered  into  a  positive  and 
formal  agreement  with  parties  capable  of  contracting,  although 
such  an  agreement  would  have  been,  on  his  part,  impossible.  He 
had  never  sent  reinforcements,  and  he  had  never  authorized  any 
change  in  the  "  relative  military  status." 

He  then  recites  the  orders  sent  to  Major  Anderson  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  on  the  nth  of  December,  but  which  were  not 
brought  to  his  notice  until  the  2ist  instant,  at  a  meeting  of  his 
Cabinet,  and  which  the  President  had  forgotten.  He  claims  that 
it  was  "  clear  that  Major  Anderson  acted  upon  his  own  responsi- 
bility and  without  authority,  unless,  indeed,  he  had  tangible  evi- 
dence of  a  design  to  proceed  to  a  hostile  act;"  that  such  act  had 
not  yet  been  alleged,  but  that  Major  Anderson  "  should  not  be 
condemned  without  a  fair  hearing." 

He  further  states  to  the  Commissioners  that  his  "  first  prompt- 
ings "  were  to  restore  the  status,  so  far  as  Anderson  was  con- 
cerned, with  the  concurrence  of  the  South  Carolina  authorities, 
"  but  before  any  steps  could  possibly  be  taken  in  this  direction," 
the  vacant  forts  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston  had  been  seized  by 
the  State  authorities,  who,  although  they  knew  that  Anderson's 
movement  was  not  only  without  but  against  his  orders,  proceeded, 
without  any  demand  or  request  for  information  or  explanation,  to 
take  possession  not  only  of  the  forts,  but  upon  the  same  day  to 
raise  the  flag  of  the  State  over  the  United  States  Custom  House 


158  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

and  Post  Office,  and  subsequently  to  seize  and  occupy  the  United 
States  arsenal,  with  its  stores  valued  at  half  a  million  of  dollars. 
It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  he  was  urged  to  withdraw 
the  troops  from  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  as  a  step  essential  to 
the  opening  of  negotiations.  "This,"  said  he,  "I  cannot  do; 
this  I  will  not  do.  Such  an  idea  was  never  thought  of  by  me. 
No  allusion  to  it  has  ever  been  made  in  any  communication 
between  myself  and  any  human  being." 

Nor  did  he  admit  the  inference  that  because  the  officer  in 
command  of  all  the  forts  had,  without  instructions,  changed  his 
position  from  one  to  another,  that  therefore  he  was  bound  to  with- 
draw the  troops  from  the  only  fort  in  Charleston  Harbor  in  the 
possession  of  the  United  States.  He  informs  the  Commissioners 
of  the  intelligence  he  had  just  received,  of  the  seizure  of  the 
arsenal  in  Charleston,  with  its  valuable  stores,  by  the  troops  of 
the  State,  and  he  closes  his  communication  with  the  statement 
that,  while  it  is  his  duty  to  defend  Fort  Sumter  against  hostile 
attacks,  he  does  not  "  perceive  how  such  a  defense  can  be  con- 
strued into  a  menace  against  the  city  of  Charleston." 

The  reply  of  the  President  left  little  hope  for  negotiation.  He 
had  declined  to  disavow  the  act  of  Major  Anderson,  or  to  inter- 
fere with  his  movement.  But  even  under  these  circumstances  the 
Commissioners  did  not  yet  abandon  hope  that  some  temporary 
solution  of  the  difficulty  might  be  found,  which  would  enable 
them  to  open  the  negotiation  with  which  they  were  charged. 

After  a  careful  and  full  consideration  of  the  responsibility 
involved,  they  determined  upon  one  more  step,  which  would  be  the 
extreme  exercise  of  their  discretionary  powers,  however  unlimited 
might  be  those  powers  as  conferred  by  the  Convention.  They 
believed  that  the  President  was  sincere  in  his  desire  to  meet  and 
deal  fairly  with  them,  but  the  movement  of  Major  Anderson,  made 
upon  the  day  of  their  arrival,  had  involved  the  whole  subject  in 
doubt  and  complicated  it  beyond  solution. 

"  On  the  3oth  the  President  replied  to  the  letter  of  the  Commis- 
sioners. On  the  same  day  I  again  saw  the  President,  and  found 
Mr.  Toucey,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  with  him.  I  told  him  that 
with  his  permission  I  would  like  to  have  a  half-hour's  conversation, 
to  which  he  very  courteously  assented.  I  then,  as  temperately  as 
I  could,  commenced  a  review  of  the  whole  transaction.  He 
stopped  me,  saying,  '  You,  of  all  persons,  ought  to  know  that  it  is 


THE  PRESIDENT  AND  MR.   TRESCOT. 


'59 


exceedingly  irregular  and  improper  for  the  President  to  discuss 
such  matters  with  the  secretary  of  the  Commissioners.'  I  told  him 
that  I  was  not  secretary,  nor  had  I  any  sort  of  official  connection 
with  the  commission  ;  that  I  came  to  him,  simply  because  he  him- 
self had  established  my  connection  with  these  events,  and  in  such 
a  way  that  I  thought  I  had  a  claim  to  be  heard.  '  In  that  case,' 
he  said,  'proceed;'  and  I  then  had  a  long,  very  earnest  and  very 
interesting  conversation  with  him.  He  showed  a  good  deal  of 
feeling,  and  seemed  much  worn  and  distressed.  I  inferred  from  all 
that  passed  that  his  difficulty  consisted  in  this:  that  the  seizure 
of  the  other  forts  by  South  Carolina  rendered  the  restoration  of 
the  former  status  impossible,  for  if  he  ordered  Anderson  from 
Fort  Sumter  he  had  nowhere  to  send  him,  unless  he  withdrew  him 
altogether  from  the  harbor  ;  and  this  '  lowering  of  the  flag,'  in  the 
face  of  an  armed  rebellion,  both  Mr.  Toucey  and  himself  thought 
was  impossible  in  the  face  of  Northern  sentiment.  Under  this 
impression  I  went  to  Mr.  Hunter,  of  Virginia,  and  told  him  that  if 
that  was  the  difficulty,  to  say  to  the  President  that  if  he  would 
withdraw  from  Sumter,  the  State  would  withdraw  from  the  other 
forts,  and  that  Major  Anderson  would  be  as  safe  in  Fort  Moultrie 
as  if  he  were  here  ;  the  Commissioners  would  accept  this  return 
to  the  status  and  guarantee  his  safety,  Mr.  Hunter  immediately 
went  to  him,  and  when  he  returned — I  was  waiting  ai;  his  rooms 
— said:  'Tell  the  Commissioners  it  is  hopeless.  The  President 
has  taken  his  ground.  I  cant  repeat  what  passed,  but  if  you  can 
get  a  telegram  to  Charleston,  telegraph  at  once  to  your  people  to 
sink  vessels  in  the  channel  of  the  harbor  ; '  and  this  message  he 
sent  the  next  morning  again  by  his  colleague,  Mr.  Mason.  A  mes- 
senger had,  however,  been  sent  the  night  before  to  Richmond  to 
forward  the  telegram  from  that  point.  There  is  no  doubt  that  at 
that  time  orders  for  reinforcement  had  been  issued,  although 
afterwards  countermanded.  In  this  condition  of  affairs,  the  Com- 
missioners addressed  their  second  letter  to  the  President  and  left 
Washington."* 

Anderson's  action,  while  not  inconsistent  with  the  position  of 
his  message  nor  the  official  action  of  his  Cabinet,  was  wholly  in 
violation  of  the  policy  that  the  President  had  pursued.  Fora  time 
he  was  undetermined  as  to  what  course  to  take,  but  he  had 


*  Trescot's  narrative. 


1 60  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

eventually  prepared  a  draft  of  an  answer  to  the  South  Carolina  Com- 
missioners which  yielded  the  point  at  issue,  when,  by  the  firm  and 
decided  action  of  his  Secretary  of  State,  the  consequence  of  such 
action  upon  his  part  was  presented  in  so  clear  a  light  as  to  induce 
him  to  change  his  purpose  and  his  action  completely,  and  to  commit 
himself  so  positively  as  to  leave  henceforth  no  illusion  as  to  his 
course.  The  alternative  was  forced  upon  him,  either  to  sustain 
Major  Anderson  or  to  condemn  him.  "  For  a  moment  he  wavered. 
But  he  could  take  no  other  course.  Cass  had  left  him,  Cobb  had 
gone,  and  Floyd  was  about  to  go.  Neither  Thompson  nor  Thomas 
could  remain.  South  Carolina  had  seized  the  unoccupied  forts 
and  public  property  in  her  limits,  and  the  excitement  had  spread 
through  the  South,  arousing  fierce  and  pronounced  feeling.  His 
Secretary  of  State  and  his  Attorney-General  said  to  him,  'Decide; 
whatever  you  may  have  done,  we  are  uncommitted.  Keep  the 
word  which  the  South  says  you  have  pledged,  and  we  resign.  We 
believe  in  the  Union,  and  we  will  not  betray  it.'  "* 

The  Cabinet  had  resolved  upon  their  action,  and  the  Attorney- 
General,  Mr.  Stanton,  thus  forcibly  expressed  himself  to  the  late 
Assistant  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Trescot,  who  was  acting  as  the 
agent  of  South  Carolina:  "You  say  the  President  has  pledged 
himself.  I  do  not  know  it.  I  have  not  heard  his  account,  but  I 
know  you  believe  it.  For  the  present,  I  will  admit  it.  The  Presi- 
dent was  pledged.  Anderson's  conduct  has  broken  that  pledge. 
You  had  two  courses  to  choose:  you  had  a  right  to  either.  You 
could  have  appealed  to  the  President  to  redeem  his  pledge,  or  you 
could  have  said  the  circumstances  under  which  the  President  has 
acted  prove  bad  faith,  we  will  not  trust  you  any  further,  and  then 
have  acted  as  you  saw  fit,  but  you  have  no  right  to  adopt  both. 
Stand  on  the  President's  pledge  and  give  him  the  chance  to  redeem 
it,  or  take  the  matter  in  your  own  hands.  Now  you  have  chosen, 
you  have,  by  seizing  the  remaining  forts  and  arsenals,  undertaken 
to  redress  yourselves  The  President's  pledge  may  be  broken  or 
not,  that  now  concerns  him  individually — as  to  the  Government, 
you  have  passed  by  the  pledge  and  assumed,  in  vindication,  a  posi- 
tion of  hostility;  with  that  alone  I  have  to  deal." 

His  friends  were  leaving  him  with  the  secession  of  every  State, 
as  the  party  opposed  to  him  grew  daily  in  strength.  He  was  to 


*  Trescot's  narrative. 


THE  PRESIDENT  YIELDS.  \  6 1 

end  his  days  in  the  North,  as  his  character  was  to  stand  or  fall  by 
Northern  opinion.  He  yielded  finally  to  the  determined  instance 
of  his  Secretary  of  State,  and  put  tvmself  in  harmony  with  the 

Union  sentiment 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Lieutenant-General  Scott — His  character  and  relations  to  the  administration — 
Confidence  of  the  people  in  him — His  "  Views"  volunteered  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War— Their  peculiar  character — Published  without  consent  or 
knowledge  of  the  President — President's  surprise — Regards  the  Views  as 
likely  to  be  used  to  excite  the  people  of  the  cotton  States — No  practicable 
plan  proposed — President  believed  it  impossible  to  garrison  all  the  forts — 
His  duty,  as  he  viewed  it — General  Scott  comes  to  Washington  — Secretary 
of  War  does  not  agree  with  him — President's  policy  in  contradistinction 
to  that  of  General  Scott — Feeling  in  the  country  that  Fort  Sumter  should 
be  relieved — Propositions  from  private  sources — General  Scott  persists  in 
his  design  and  recommendation  to  reinforce  Sumter — President  agrees, 
and  General  Scott  objects  to  plan  proposed — Later,  again  urges  reinforce- 
ments to  Sumter — Feeling  of  the  people— Voluntary  expeditions  offered — 
President's  determination  to  send  reinforcements  in  a  ship  of  war  overruled 
— Finally  determines  to  send  an  officer  to  Anderson  with  certain  inquiries 
— General  Scott  recommends  a  mercantile  steamer — Star  of  the  West  sub- 
stituted for  United  States  sloop  of  war  Brooklyn — Preparation  for  her  voy- 
age— Meantime,  Anderson  reports  himself  safe — Sailing  of  the  Star  of  the 
West  -Details  of  her  voyage  and  arrival. 

WHILE  the  correspondence  between  the  Precident  and  the 
South  Carolina  Commissioners  was  pending,  the  subject  ot  rein- 
forcing Fort  Sumter  was  under  daily  discussion  in  the  Cabinet. 
Various  plans  had  been  proposed,  and  among  them  one  from  the 
General-in-Chief  himself. 

Lieutenant-General  Scott  was  still  at  the  head  of  the  army. 
He  was  now  over  seventy-four  years  of  age,  and  had  grown  old  in 
the  service  of  his  country.  The  infirmities  of  age  were  upon  him, 
and  he  was  a  prey  to  many  physical  disabilities,  which  wholly 
incapacitated  him  for  active  service.  He  was  now,  as  he  had  long 
been,  the  highest  military  authority  in  the  country.  Mexico  and 
its  brilliant  campaign  were  still  remembered  by  the  generation 
who  had  witnessed  it,  and  the  minds  of  his  countrymen  were  yet 
filled  with  gratitude  for  services,  many  of  which,  without  involv- 
ing any  great  issues,  were  at  the  time  and  by  circumstances 
important. 

And  there  were  sagacious  and  patriotic  men  who,  while  still 

162 


GENERAL  SCOTT'S  VIEWS. 

earnestly  working  for  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties,  were 
not  disturbed  at  an  issue  of  war,  under  the  conscious  assurance 
that  General  Winfield  Scott  still  commanded  the  army. 

Nature  had  denied  to  him  the  power  of  a  critical  discrimina- 
tion, and  when  his  mind  had  been  directed  to  the  consideration  of 
political  subjects  or  upon  matters  of  State,  his  conclusions  and 
expressions  were  oftentimes  characterized  by  weakness.  And  hence, 
while  there  was  every  disposition  to  receive  and  to  consider  with 
respect  any  suggestion  of  a  purely  military  nature  that  he  might 
make,  so  far  as  it  was  uninfluenced  by  controlling  questions  of 
State,  the  political  and  civil  recommendations  with  which  they 
were  often  mingled,  afforded  an  opportunity  to  an  administration 
not  in  harmony  with  him  to  reject  both.  For  many  reasons  his 
relations  to  the  President  were  not  cordial.  During  the  war  with 
Mexico,  the  President  had  been  the  Secretary  of  State  of  Mr. 
Folk's  administration,  and  had  taken  sides  against  General  Soott 
in  his  controversy  with  General  Taylor.  He  opposed,  at  all  times, 
his  aspirations  for  the  Presidency,  and  criticized  the  action  of 
Congress  in  conferring  upon  General  Scott,  the  brevet  of  lieutenant- 
general  in  the  army.*  The  wounds  had  not  healed,  and  through 
preference  the  General  had  maintained  his  headquarters  perma- 
nently in  the  city  of  New  York.  As  early  as  the  2pth  of  October 
he  had  submitted,  voluntarily,  to  the  Secretary  of  War  a  paper 
entitled  "  Views  Suggested  by  the  Imminent  Danger  (October  29, 
1860)  of  a  Disruption  of  the  Union  by  the  Secession  of  one  or 
more  of  the  Southern  States."  At  this  time  the  elections  had  not 
yet  taken  place,  and  no  State  had  passed  an  Ordinance  of  Seces- 
sion. 

The  views  of  the  General  contemplated  only  "  a  gap  "  in  the 
Union  by  the  withdrawal  of  an  interior  State  or  States,  and  which 
the  Federal  Government  might  re-establish  by  force  in  order  to 
preserve  the  continuity  of  its  territory;  and  in  support  of  which  he 
quotes  from  "  Paley's  Moral  and  Political  Philosophy."  But  the 
falling  off  "of  all  the  Atlantic  States  from  the  Potomac  south,  was 
not  within  the  scope  of  General  Scott's  provisional  remedies."  A 
lesser  evil  than  to  unite  the  fragments  of  the  Union  by  the  sword 
would  be,  "he  thought,"  to  allow  the  fragments  of  the  great 
Republic  to  form  themselves  into  new  confederacies,  probably  four, 


*  Letter  to  J.  W.  Forney,  December  15,  1852.    Forney 's  Progress. 


\FcKsimi!f</  from  the  Original  Letter,  in  possession  of  Mr,  Robert  Coster.} 


*S 


*/ 


<S        / 

eS      4LsZ 


±S* 


*^^ 


164 


[Facsimiled  from  the  Original  Letter,  in  possession  of  Mr.  Robert  Coster.} 


1 66  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  each  of  which  he  assigns  their  proximate  boundaries/'  after  mrny 
waverings  and  conflicts."* 

In  the  formation  of  one  of  these  confederacies,  he  thought  that 
but  little  if  any  coercion,  beyond  moral  force,  would  be  necessary 
to  embrace  seven  slave-holding  States,  with  parts  of  Virginia  and 
Florida,  in  a  new  confederacy  with  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  etc., 
when  the  overwhelming  weight  of  the  great  northwest  was  taken  in 
connection  with  the  laws  of  trade,  contiguity  of  territory,  and  the 
comparative  indifference  to  Free-soil  doctrines  on  the  part  of  West- 
ern Virginia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  Missouri.  He  appeals  to 
Virginia,  and  quotes  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  that  pru- 
dence dictated  that  governments  should  not  be  lightly  changed, 
and  also  from  "  Paley's  Moral  Philosophy,"  that  national  honor 
was  not  to  be  pursued  as  distinct  from  national  interest. 

The  military  point  of  the  communication  was  embodied  in  a 
short  statement  that,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  Southern  popula- 
tion, it  was  his  solemn  conviction  that,  preliminary  to  secession, 
there  was  danger  of  a  seizure  of  some  or  of  all  of  a  number  of 
Southern  forts,  then  destitute  of  or  without  sufficient  garrisons; 
and  he  recommends  that  all  these  works  should  be  immediately 
so  garrisoned  as  to  make  any  attempt  to  take  any  one  of  them, 
by  surprise  or  coup  de  main,  ridiculous,  f  After  some  suggestions 
in  regard  to  exports  and  the  collection  of  imports  upon  ships  of 
war,  the  "  Views"  conclude  with  the  statement  that  they  eschewed 
"the  idea  of  invading  a  seceded  State." 

This  paper  was  published  upon  the  authority  of  General  Scott, 
in  a  daily  journal  in  the  city  of  Washington, \  on  the  i8th  day  of 
January,  1861,  without  either  "the  consent  or  previous  knowledge 
of  the  President,"  and  for  the  assigned  reason  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  correct  misapprehensions  "  that  had  got  abroad  "  in  pub- 


*  I.  The  Potomac  River  and  the  Chesapeake  Bay  to  the  Atlantic;  2.  From 
Maryland  along  the  coast  to  the  Alleghany  (perhaps  the  Blue  Ridge)  range  of 
mountains,  to  some  point  on  the  coast  of  Florida;  3.  The  line  from,  say  the 
head  of  the  Potomac  to  the  west  or  northwest,  which  it  will  be  most  difficult  to 
settle;  4.  The  crest  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  And  to  the  confederacies  thus 
formed,  he  alleges  their  probable  capitals.  The  New  England  Confederacy  was 
to  be  formed  of  the  New  England  and  Middle  States,  and  the  Capitol  at  Wash- 
ington to  be  removed  to  Albany. 

f  Forts  St.  Philip,  New  Orleans;  Morgan,  Alabama;  Pickens  and  McRae, 
Pensacola,  Fla. ;  Pulaski,  Georgia;  Moultrie  and  Sumter,  South  Carolina. 

\  National  Intelligencer,  Washington,  January  18,  1861. 


PRESIDENT'S  COMMENTS. 


I67 


lie  prints  and  speeches  in  regard  to  the  "  Views."*  The  President 
received  the  paper  with  surprise.  He  regarded  that  such  an  open 
expression  of  opinion  from  so  distinguished  a  source  as  the 
General-in-Chief  would  be  used  by  "  disunion  leaders  "  to  mislead 
as  well  as  to  incite  the  people  of  the  cotton  States  and  "  drive 
them  to  extremities."  He  thought,  too,  that  in  a  report  from  the 
commanding  general  of  the  army  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  the 
political  portion  of  the  "Views"  being  speculative  and  prospective 
in  their  character,  and  unconnected  "  with  military  operations,  was 
out  of  time  and  out  of  place."  He  considered,  also,  that  a  recom- 
mendation to  garrison  the  nine  Southern  forts  should  have  been 
accompanied  by  a  "practical  plan"  for  doing  it,  and  its  detail 
submitted  to  the  President.  The  attention  of  General  Scott  was 
called  to  this  omission,  when  on  the  following  day,  October  30, 
in  a  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  entitled  "  Supple- 
mental Views,"  he  simply  stated  that  "there  is  one  regular 
company  at  Boston,  one  here  (at  the  Narrows),  one  at  Pittsburg, 
one  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  and  one  at  Baton  Rouge — in  all  five  com- 
panies only,  within  reach,  to  garrison  or  reinforce  the  forts  men- 
tioned in  the  "  Views." 

The  regular  force  at  the  disposal  of  the  President  was  widely 
scattered  upon  the  distant  frontier,  where  its  whole  force,  amount- 
ing at  the  maximum  to  18,000  men,  was  required,  he  thought,  for 
the  protection  of  the  border  settlements.!  General  Scott, 
impressed  with  the  necessity  of  giving  reasonable  security  to  the 
settlers,  and  considering  this  force  as  inadequate,  had  in  1857 
asked  for  an  increase  to  the  regular  army  of  four  regiments. 
His  request  had  been  approved  by  the  President,  who  had  recom- 
mended to  Congress  to  raise  five  additional  regiments,  which, 
however,  was  not  acted  upon.J 

The  President  believed  it  to  be  "  impossible  to  garrison  the 
numerous  forts  in  the  United  States  in  time  of  peace."  Destitute 
as  he  was  of  military  force,  and  without  power,  as  he  conceived, 
under  the  laws  to  call  out  the  militia,  or  to  accept  the  service  of 
volunteers,  he  believed  that  to  scatter  the  five  companies  among 
the  nine  forts  in  the  Southern  States  "would  have  been  a  con- 


*  Floyd  at  Richmond,  upon  his  return  in  January,  1861. 
f  Report  of  the  Military  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Feb- 
ruary 1 8,  1 86 1. 

J  United  States  Senate  Documents,  1857-58. 


1 68  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

fession  of  weakness,"  as  they  were  absurdly  inadequate  to  the 
object  in  view,  and  that  it  would  have  done  but  little  to  have 
prevented  secession,  but  would  have  tended  rather  to  provoke  it. 
It  would  have  precipitated  civil  war,  for  which  Congress  had 
made  no  preparation,  and  it  would  have  exasperated  the  border 
States  and  probably  driven  them  into  hostilities,  and  all  hope  of 
compromise  would  have  been  destroyed.*  But  his  Attorney-Gen- 
eral believed  that  Fort  Sumter  should  have  been  relieved  under 
any  circumstances,  and  with  part  of  the  five  companies  which 
General  Scott  had  reported  as  available.  He  thought  that  Gen- 
eral Scott's  report  of  the  force  available  was  not  a  correct  one,  as 
we  had  no  Indian  disturbances  at  that  time,  and  more  troops 
might  have  been  had  from  the  frontier. 

He  therefore  considered  it  to  be  his  duty  "  to  refrain  from 
any  act  which  might  provoke  or  encourage  the  cotton  States  into 
secession,  and  to  smooth  the  way  for  congressional  compromise.! 

The  "  Views  "  submitted  by  General  Scott  were  considered, 
by  themselves,  so  impracticable  in  their  nature,  and  so  strange 
and  inconsistent  in  character,  that  the  President "  dismissed  them 
from  his  mind  without  further  consideration." 

But  General  Scott  was  thoroughly  alive  to  the  dangers  which 
threatened  the  country.  On  the  3151  of  October  he  suggested  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  that  a  circular  be  sent  to  the  forts  warning 
the  garrisons  against  sudden  assaults,  but  this  permission  was 
not  granted. 

On  December  12  he  arrived  in  Washington,  and  in  a  personal 
interview  with  the  Secretary  of  War  he  urged  the  same  views,  and 
points  out  the  organized  companies  and  the  recruits  at  the  prin- 
cipal depots  available  for  the  purpose. 

The  Secretary  did  not  agree  with  him,  nor  could  he  have  done 
so  without  putting  himself  in  opposition  to  the  announced  policy 
of  the  President;  but  in  accordance  with  the  request  of  General 
Scott  an  interview  for  the  i5th  of  December  with  the  President 
was  arranged.  At  this  interview  the  whole  subject  was  discussed, 
and  General  Scott  renewed  his  recommendation  for  reinforcement. 
His  recommendation  was  unexpected.  The  President  gave  his 
opinion  that  no  immediate  secession  beyond  South  Carolina  was  to 


*  "Buchanan's  Administration." 

t  Conversation  with  Judge  Black  at  his  residence,  November  17,  1880. 


GENERAL  SCOTT  RENEWS  HIS  EFFORTS. 

be  apprehended,  and  he  declined  to  reinforce  Fort  Moultrie  or  to 
garrison  Fort  Sumter,  as  the  proper  time  had  not  in  his  judgment 
arrived.  He  determined  to  await  the  action  of  the  South  Carolina 
Convention  and  the  arrival  of  Commissioners  to  him,  which  he 
would  refer  to  Congress,  and  if  Congress  should  decide  against 
them,  he  would  then  reinforce  the  forts  in  Charleston  Harbor  and 
direct  the  commanding  officer  to  defend  them.  He  had  at  this 
time  defined  his  policy,  if  indeed  he  had  a  policy.  In  opposition 
to  the  opinion  of  General  Scott,  he  thought  that  there  was  no 
present  necessity  of  any  reinforcements  to  secure  the  forts  in  the 
harbor  of  Charleston,  and  he  believed  in  the  possibility  of  an  adjust- 
ment. He  desired,  too,  to  separate  South  Carolina  from  the  other 
Southern  States,  and  he  was  convinced  that  any  attack  made  by  her 
upon  Fort  Moultrie  would  be  condemned  by  them.  When  the 
Secretary  of  War  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  sloop  of  war  Brook- 
lyn, with  300  men,  lay  in  readiness  at  Norfolk  to  sail  at  any  moment 
to  Charleston,  an  objection  was  at  once  made  by  General  Scott  to 
taking  so  many  men  from  Fortress  Monroe,  but  that  they  might  be 
taken  from  New  York.  He  thought,  however,  that  it  would  be 
then  too  late,  as  the  South  Carolinians  would  "  have  the  game  in 
their  hands,"  and  that  as  Fort  Sumter  was  not  garrisoned,  any 
handful  of  men  might  seize  it.  At  a  later  period,  the  General  thought 
that  if  the  300  men  had  been  sent  then  or  later,  both  forts  would 
have  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  Government;  no  batteries 
could  have  been  erected,  and  the  access  to  the  sea  been  preserved.* 
How  Mr.  Buchanan  regarded  these  statements  and  comments  of 
General  Scott  when  long  afterward  (October,  1862)  they  first  fell 
under  his  observation,  will  be  seen  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this 
narrative.f 

General  Scott  now  became  persistent  in  his  efforts  to  relieve  the 
situation.  Upon  the  28th  of  December,after  the  movement  of  Major 
Anderson  to  Fort  Sumter,  he  urged  upon  the  Secretary  of  War  that 
Fort  Sumter  might  not  be  evacuated,  but  that  150  recruits  might 
"instantly  "  be  sent  to  Fort  Sumter,  with  ample  supplies  of  sub- 
sistence and  ammunition;  and  he  renews  his  recommendation  in 
regard  to  the  forts  upon  the  Southern  coast.  It  was  upon  the  same 

*  Scott's  autobiography,  p.  615. 

f  General  Scott  was  burned  in  effigy  January  12,  at  the  University  of  Vir 
ginia,  by  the  students,  amid  cheers  for  the  seceding  States  and  groans  for 
Anderson,  who  was  called  the  American  Sultan, 


I  70  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

day  that  the  Commissioners  from  South  Carolina  held  their  first 
and  only  interview  with  the  President.  On  the  following  day  (the 
29th)  he  addressed  a  communication  to  the  brother  of  Major  Ander- 
son, and  informed  him  that  the  War  Department  had  kept  secret 
from  him  (General  Scott)  the  instructions  sent  to  Major  Ander- 
son, but  that  he,  in  common  with  the  whole  army,  had  admired 
and  indicated  as  a  defensive  measure  the  masterly  transfer  of  the 
garrison  to  Fort  Sumter. 

Meantime,  the  feeling  that  relief  should  be  sent  to  Fort  Sumter 
began  to  manifest  itself  among  the  people,  and  proposals  of  every 
character  for  relieving  Fort  Sumter  were  made  by  patriotic  citizens 
throughout  the  country  to  the  President  and  to  General  Scott. 
Among  these,  on  the  zpth  of  December,  a  proposal  was  made  to 
Lieutenant-General  Scott  by  Mr  James  A.  Hamilton,  of  New  York, 
that  Major  Anderson  should  at  once  be  reinforced  by  a  force  of 
from  100  to  400  volunteers;  and  he  asks  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
Major  Anderson,  that  these  volunteers  were  to  be  guests  of  Major 
Anderson,  but  subject  to  his  command.  The  patriotic  feeling  that 
suggested  this  extraordinary  proposition  was  approved  by  General 
Scott,  who  read  it  to  the  President,  who  also  approved  the  spirit; 
but  they  equally  agreed  that  the  immediate  military  needs  of  the 
country  required  no  appeal  to  militia  or  volunteers  in  aid  of  the 
regular  force. 

Impatient  at  the  apparent  delay,  General  Scott  again  addressed 
the  President,  on  the  3oth,  and  requested  permission  to  send,  as 
secretly  as  possible  and  without  reference  to  the  War  Department, 
250  recruits  from  New  York  Harbor,  to  reinforce  Fort  Sumter,  and 
that  a  sloop  of  war  and  a  cutter  may  be  ordered  for  that  purpose 
as  early  as  to-morrow.  For  some  time  the  sloop  of  war  Brooklyn, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Farragut,  had  been  lying  off  Fort- 
ress Monroe,  with  secret  instructions  to  hold  herself  in  readiness 
to  proceed  with  300  men  to  Fort  Moultrie  in  case  "  of  its  attack 
or  danger  of  attack."  In  view  of  the  movement  of  Major  Ander- 
son and  the  seizure  by  the  State  authorities  of  the  forts  and  pub- 
lic property  in  the  city  and  harbor  of  Charleston,  the  President  had 
determined  upon  sending  reinforcements,  but  he  deemed  that  a 
ship  of  war  with  experienced  troops  was  preferable  to  a  sloop  of 
war  and  a  cutter  with  250  recruits.  She  could  not  cross  the  bar: 
and  overruling  the  suggestion  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  he  deter- 
mined to  send  the  Brooklyn  to  the  relief  of  Major  Anderson. 


DISCUSSION  IN  THE  CABINET.  l  7 1 

On  the  following  morning  he  gave  the  necessary  orders  to  his 
secretaries.  His  course  was  endorsed  by  General  Scott,  who  called 
upon  him  on  the  evening  of  the  3ist  to  congratulate  him  that  the 
orders  had  been  issued  and  were  in  his  possession.*  Upon  the  same 
day  an  order  was  issued  by  Lieutenant-General  Scott  to  the  com- 
manding officer  of  Fort  Monroe  to  prepare  and  put  upon  the 
Brooklyn  four  companies,  making  at  least  200  men,  destined  to  rein- 
force Fort  Sumter,  with  twenty-five  spare  stands  of  arms  and  sub- 
sistence for  the  detachment  for  ninety  days,  and  that  everything 
was  to  be  managed  "  as  secretly  and  confidentially  as  possible." 
During  the  interview  between  the  President  and  General  Scott,  it 
was  agreed  that  before  issuing  the  orders  an  opportunity  should 
be  given  to  the  South  Carolina  Commissioners  to  reply  to  the  Pres- 
ident's letter  sent  to  them  a  few  hours  before;  and  it  was  the 
President's  opinion  that  as  "this  letter  would  doubtless  speedily 
terminate  their  mission,"  the  delay  could  not  exceed  forty-eight 
hours.  General  Scott  deemed  this  as  only  "gentlemanly  and 
proper,"  and  the  orders  were  withheld  temporarily.  The  delay  gave 
rise  to  "  a  prolonged  and  heated  discussion  in  the  Cabinet,"  when 
it  was  finally  determined  to  send  an  officer  to  Major  Anderson  to 
inquire  of  him  whether  he  needed  reinforcements,  or  desired  that 
they  should  be  sent  to  him.f  Fearful  of  further  delay  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  inquired:  "Does  the  sending  of  a  messenger  imply 
that  no  additional  troops  are  to  be  sent  until  his  return  ?"  "  It 
implies  nothing,"  replied  the  President.  The  tone  of  the  Presi- 
dent's letter  to  the  Commissioners,  and  the  determination  evinced, 
satisfied  them  that  negotiation  was  impossible,  and  they  prepared 
to  return  to  South  Carolina.  The  interview  between  the  President 
and  Senator  Hunter  had  taken  place  on  the  3oth  of  December.  On 
the  ist  of  January  the  Commissioners  prepared  their  final  answer, 
and  it  was  upon  the  zd — when,  at  a  Cabinet  meeting  and  at  the 
moment  when  in  accordance  with  the  plan  determined  upon,  that 
the  Postmaster-General,  Mr.  Holt,  was  writing  down  the  questions 
to  be  put  toMajor  Anderson — that  this  communication  was  handed 
to  the  President,  when  it  was  at  once  read  in  the  presence  of  the 
Cabinet.  It  began  by  a  reference  to  his  declaration  that  he  pos- 
sessed no  power  to  change  the  existing  relations  between  the  State 


*  In  his  "pocket,"  as  he  expressed  himself, 
j-  C.  F.  Black,  manuscript 


I  72  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

and  the  Government,  to  acknowledge  the  independence  of  the 
State,  nor  to  recognize  the  official  character  of  the  gentlemen  who 
had  addressed  him.  To  this  they  replied,  that  the  State  of  South 
Carolina  having  exercised  the  great  right  of  self-government,  they 
had  no  special  solicitude  as  to  the  character  in  which  he  might 
recognize  them,  and  that  they  were  willing  to  waive  any  formal 
considerations  which  his  constitutional  scruples  "  might  have  pre- 
vented him  from  extending." 

His  willingness  to  receive  them  and  submit  the  propo- 
sitions which  they  should  make  to  Congress  was  to  them  ample 
recognition  of  the  condition  of  public  affairs  which  rendered 
their  presence  necessary.  They  recall  a  portion  of  the  President's 
letter  in  which  he  had  expressed  his  desire  that  the  whole  subject 
might  be  referred  to  Congress,  and  his  regret  that  in  the  opinion 
of  the  Commissioners  "  the  events  of  the  last  twenty-four  hours 
render  this  impossible  ;"  and  they  assert  that  the  language  which 
had  been  quoted  as  theirs  by  him  "  is  altered  in  its  sense  by  the 
omission  of  a  most  important  part  of  the  sentence;"  that  what 
they  did  say  was,  "  But  the  events  of  the  last  twenty-four  hours 
render  such  an  assurance  impossible."  An  assurance  that  they 
were  ready  to  enter  upon  the  negotiation, with  an  earnest  desire  upon 
their  part  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  collision.  In  their  communi- 
cation they  review  the  acts  of  the  President  from  the  passage  of 
the  Ordinance  of  Secession  by  the  Convention,which  manifested  a 
desire  upon  his  part  to  settle  the  difficulties  without  collision;  the 
ground  taken  in  his  annual  message,  that  he  had  no  right  to  coerce 
a  seceded  State  ;  his  refusal  to  send  reinforcements  to  Charleston 
Harbor  ;  his  return  of  the  arms  taken  from  the  arsenal  to  arm  the 
employees  of  the  engineer  ;  his  understanding  with  the  South 
Carolina  delegation;  and  his  pledge  to  return  to  them  the  paper 
they  had  given  him,  should  he  determine  to  send  reinforcements. 
The  facts  of  their  mission  to  him  were  stated,  their  arrival,  and 
the  news  of  Major  Anderson's  movement,  which  was  at  once 
communicated  to  him,  and  their  call  upon  him  to  redeem  the 
"pledge"  that  he  had  made.  That  he  did  not  deny  it  then,  nor  did 
he  now,  but  that  he  sought  "  to  escape  from  its  obligation  "  on  the 
ground  that  the  Commissioners  terminated  all  negotiation  by  de- 
manding as  a  preliminary  the  withdrawal  of  the  United  States 
troops  from  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  and  from  the  action  of  the 
State  authorities,  who,  instead  of  asking  an  explanation  of  Ander- 


COMMISSIONERS'  ANSWER. 


173 


son's  movement,  "  took  possession  of  other  property  of  the  United 
States." 

They  deny  that  any  such  demand  was  made  by  them  ;  that 
there  was  nothing  in  their  letter  which  could  have  prevented  him 
from  declining  to  withdraw  the  troops,  "  and  offering  the  restora- 
tion of  the  status  "  to  which  he  was  pledged,  if  he  had  desired  to 
do  it;  that,  whatever  might  be  his  assertion,  "  such  an  idea  was 
never  thought  of  "  by  him.  His  conversation  left  upon  their  minds 
the  distinct  impression  that  he  did  "  seriously  contemplate  the 
withdrawal  of  the  troops  from  Charleston  Harbor,"  and  that  he 
had  discussed  the  subject  with  "  gentlemen  of  the  highest  possible 
public  reputation,"  and  whose  testimony  was  beyond  cavil;  and 
that  it  was  the  knowledge  of  this  fact  that  induced  them  to  urge 
upon  him  a  policy  that  had  the  weight  of  such  authority. 

They  deny  that  the  action  of  the  State  authorities  availed  him 
for  defense,  for  the  opportunity  of  decision  was  afforded  him  be- 
fore these  facts  occurred.  That  on  the  very  day  that  the  news 
of  Major  Anderson's  movement  came,  men  who  had  striven  suc- 
cessfully to  lift  him  to  his  great  office,  who  had  been  his  tried  and 
true  friends  through  his  troubles,  entreated  him  "  to  act,"  and  "  to 
act  at  once  "  He  was  told  that  every  hour  complicated  his 
position,  and  he  was  only  asked  to  give  the  assurance  that  if 
Anderson  had  acted  "  without  and  against  his  orders  and  in  vio- 
lation of  his  pledges,"  he  would  restore  the  "  status  "  which  he 
had  pledged  his  "  honor  to  maintain."  The  letter  recalled  his 
refusal  to  do  this,  the  action  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  fact 
that  "  more  than  twelve  hours  passed  and  the  Cabinet  meeting 
had  adjourned  before  you  (he)  knew  what  the  authorities  of  South 
Carolina  had  done,"  and  that  even  if  he  had  known  it  he  should 
have  kept  his  faith.  That  as  to  Fort  Sumter,  "  the  people  were 
with  difficulty  restrained  from  securing,  without  blood,  the  posses- 
sion of  this  important  fortress,"  but  that  they  thought  kindly  of 
the  President,  believed  him  true,  and  were  willing  to  spare  him 
unnecessary  collision  ;  but  that  the  Commissioners  had  hardly 
left  Charleston  before  Anderson  waged  war.  "  No  man  could 
have  believed,"  said  they,  "  that  any  officer  could  have  taken  such 
a  step,  not  only  without  orders,  but  against  orders;"  that  the 
State  acted  in  simple  self-defense,  for  the  act  of  Major  Anderson 
was  as  much  war  as  firing  a  volley.  All  this  was  done,  they 
allege,  without  the  slightest  provocation,  and  that  no  evidence  in 


I  74  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CJVIL  WAR. 

justification  of  the  movement  had  yet  been  alleged.  They  recog- 
nize his  decision:  he  had  resolved  to  hold  by  force  what  he  had 
obtained  through  their  "  misplaced  confidence,"  and,  by  refus 
ing  to  withdraw  Anderson,  had  "  converted  his  violation  of  orders 
into  a  legitimate  act  of  your  (his)  Executive  authority."  And 
they  conclude  their  letter  by  an  assertion  that,  by  his  course,  he 
had  probably  rendered  civil  war  inevitable  ;  that  if  he  chose  to 
force  the  issues  upon  them,  the  State  of  South  Carolina  would  ac- 
cept it,  and,  relying  upon  the  "  God  of  Justice  as  well  as  the  God 
of  Hosts,"  would  endeavor  to  perform  the  duty  which  lay  before 
her,  hopefully,  bravely  and  thoroughly.* 

The  Commissioners,  convinced  that  the  troops  would  not  be 
withdrawn  from  Fort  Sumter,  and  apprehensive  that  reinforce- 
ments were  about  to  be  sent  to  the  garrison,  transmitted  their 
letter  at  once  to  the  President  and  left  the  city  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  2d  of  January. 

The  effect  produced  by  this  communication  was  immediate 
and  decided.  It  excited  so  much  indignation  as  to  leave  no  illu- 
sion as  to  the  disposition  to  be  made  of  it. 

The  President,  taking  his  pen,  wrote  across  the  manuscript  : 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  3:30  o'clock,  Wednesday. 

"  This  paper,  just  presented  to  the  President,  is  of  such  a 
nature  that  he  declines  to  receive  it;"  and  at  once  caused  its 
return  to  the  Commissioners. 

The  discussion  in  the  Cabinet  was  an  open  one  ;  and  the 
decision  of  the  President  was  announced  in  as  "  emphatic  terms  " 
as  he  probably  ever  addressed  to  one  of  his  Secretaries.  Turn- 
ing to  his  Secretary  of  War,  he  said,  "  It  is  now  over,  and  reinforce- 
ments must  now  be  sent." 

There  was  now  no  longer  either  reason  or  excuse  for  delay, 
when,  upon  the  same  day  that  the  letter  of  the  Commissioners 
was  returned  to  them  by  the  President,  he  was  informed  by  the 
Secretaries  of  War  and  of  the  Navy  that  Lieutenant-General 
Scott,  upon  conferring  with  an  expert  in  naval  affairs,  had  become 
convinced  that  both  secrecy  and  success  would  be  best  secured 
by  sending  a  "  mercantile  steamer  "  with  the  recruits  from  New 
York.  The  President  yielded  with  great  reluctance  to  the 
"pressing  instance"  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott  himself,  and 


*  Commissioners'  letter.     Executive  Doc.  H.  R.  Vol.  6,  No.  26. 


EXPEDITION  OF  STAR  OF  THE  WEST.  \  -it 

the  Star  of  the  West,  a  side-wheel  merchant  steamer,  was  substi- 
tuted for  the  sloop  of  war  Brooklyn* 

The  detail  of  the  despatch  of  the  expedition  was  entrusted  to 
General  Scott.  Proposals  in  view  of  such  action  had  previously 
been  submitted  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Schultze,  a  merchant  of  New  York, 
who  was  at  once  informed  by  General  Scott  that  his  proposals 
were  entertained,  and  who  despatched  Lieutenant  -  Colonel 
Thomas,  the  Assistant  Adjutant-General  upon  his  staff,  to  New 
York  to  superintend  the  detail  of  the  expedition.  Colonel 
Thomas  was  directed  to  satisfy  himself  that  Mr.  Schultze's 
agency  was  reliable,  and  he  was  then  to  forward  the  expedition 
secretly  and  with  all  despatch.  That  officer  proceeded  at  once 
to  New  York,  and  on  the  4th  of  January  he  reported  to  the 
General-in-Chief  that  he  was  satisfied  that  the  movement  could  be 
made  with  the  Star  of  the  West  without  exciting  suspicion  ;  and 
that  through  the  agency  of  Mr.  Schultze  he  had  chartered  her  at 
$1,500  per  day  from  Mr.  Marshal  O.  Roberts,  who,  as  Colonel 
Thomas  reported,  "  looked  exclusively  to  the  dollars,"  while  Mr. 
Schultze  was  "acting  for  the  good  of  his  country."  The  troops 
were  to  be  concealed  upon  reaching  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  and 
Major  Anderson  was  to  be  warned  against  all  telegrams,  and 
informed  that  his  conduct  met  with  the  approbation  of  the  high- 
est authority,  and  that  further  reinforcements  would  be  sent  to 
him,  if  necessary. 

The  ship  was  to  clear  for  New  Orleans  without  formal  notice, 
and  as  if  for  her  regular  trip.  The  provisions  necessary  were  to 
be  bought  on  the  ship's  account,  so  that  no  public  agency  should 
be  used.  The  arms  and  ammunition  were  to  be  put  on  board 
the  next  day  by  means  of  tugs  from  Governor's  Island,  when  all 
communication  with  the  island  and  the  city  was  to  be  cut  off 
temporarily.  The  orders  to  the  proper  officers  were  promptly 
executed,  and  First  Lieutenant  C.  R.  Woods,  of  the  Ninth  United 
States  Infantry,  assisted  by  two  lieutenants  and  a  medical  officer, 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  military  force. 

Major  Anderson  was  also  informed  by  letter  of  the  character 
and  composition  of  the  expedition  on  the  day  that  it  sailed,  and 
special  instructions  were  communicated  to  him  that,  if  fire  should 
be  opened  upon  any  vessel  bringing  reinforcements  or  supplies 


*  ''Buchanan's  Administration,"  p.  189. 


I  76  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

within  reach  of  his  guns,  "  they  may  be  employed  to  silence  such 
fire;"  and  he  was  also  to  act  in  like  manner  in  case  that  his  fort 
was  fired  upon. 

The  three  months'  supply  of  subsistence  was  promptly  trans- 
ferred on  board  the  vessel,  and  at  5  P.  M.  of  the  5th  of  January 
the  Star  of  the  West  left  her  wharf  and  proceeded  down  the  bay. 
When  near  Staten  Island  she  stopped,  and  received  on  board  from 
a  steam-tug  four  officers  and  200  men,  with  their  small-arms  and 
ammunition,  and  at  9  p.  M.  she  crossed  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of 
the  harbor  and  steamed  to  the  southward.  In  spite,  however,  of 
the  efforts  to  conceal  the  movement,  a  New  York  journal  an- 
nounced the  fact  in  its  afternoon  edition  of  the  5th  of  January. 

Colonel  Thomas  had  informed  the  General-in-Chief  by  tele- 
gram, on  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  January,  that  the  arrange- 
ments were  made  as  proposed,  and  that  the  expedition  would 
leave  the  following  evening.  Meantime,  intelligence  had  reached 
Washington  from  Major  Anderson  that  he  felt  himself  to  be  se- 
cure in  his  position,  and  he  thanked  God  that  "  we  are  now  where 
the  Government  may  send  us  additional  troops  at  their  leisure." 

Information  had  reached  the  Government  on  the  5th  inst. 
of  the  establishment  of  the  battery  on  Morris  Island,  which 
would  in  all  probability  destroy  any  unarmed  vessel  attempt- 
ing to  pass  it.  Influenced  by  these  considerations,  and  op- 
posed as  he  was  to  the  use  of  an  unarmed  vessel  for  such  service, 
and  deeming  it  not  absolutely  necessary  at  that  time  that  rein- 
forcements should  be  sent,  the  President,  with  the  acquiescence 
of  General  Scott,  countermanded  the  order  for  the  sailing  of  the 
Star  of  the  West.  On  the  evening  of  the  5th  of  January  a  tele- 
gram was  despatched  by  the  General-in-Chief  to  his  son-in-law 
and  A.  A.  C.,  Colonel  H.  L.  Scott,  at  New  York,  to  retain  the 
ship.  It  reached  that  officer  at  too  late  an  hour,  as  the  ship  had 
then  left  the  harbor. 

Later,  upon  the  yth  of  January,  an  order  was  sent  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy  to  the  commander  of  the  Brooklyn  to  escort 
and  protect  the  Star  of  the  West ,  and  the  officer  in  command  of 
the  expedition  was  informed  by  General  Scott  that  the  Brooklyn 
would  "  aid  and  succor  "  him  in  case  of  disaster  to  his  ship.  If 
he  could  not  land  at  Fort  Sumter  he  was  to  return  to  Fortress 
Monroe  and  discharge  his  ship. 

On  the  xoth  of  January  the  Secretary  of  War  ad  interim,  Mr. 


SECRETARY  OF  WAR  TO  MAJOR  ANDERSOtf.         \  77 

Holt,  addressed  a  communication  to  Major  Anderson  acknowl- 
edging the  receipt  of  his  letter  announcing  that  the  Government 
might  reinforce  him  at  its  leisure,  and  that  he  felt  secure  in  his 
position;  and  he  informed  him  that  the  Star  of  the  West  had  been 
ordered  to  him  with  reinforcements,  that  the  probability  was  that 
she  had  been  fired  into  and  had  not  been  able  to  reach  him. 
The  letter  was  as  follows  : 

"  WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

"January  10,  1861. 
"  Major  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"  First  Artillery,  Commanding  at  Fort  Sumter,  S.  C. : 
"  SIR  :  Your  dispatches  to  No.  16,  inclusive,  have  been  re- 
ceived. Before  the  receipt  of  that  of  3ist  December,*  announcing 
that  the  Government  might  re-enforce  you  at  its  leisure,  and  that 
you  regarded  yourself  safe  in  your  present  position,  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  instructed  recruits  had  been  ordered  to  proceed 
from  Governor's  Island  to  Fort  Sumter  on  th§  Star  of  the  West, 
for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  force  under  your  command. 
The  probability  is,  from  the  current  rumors  of  to-day,  that  this  ves- 
sel has  been  fired  into  by  the  South  Carolinians,  and  has  not  been 
able  to  reach  you.  To  meet  all  contingencies,  the  Brooklyn  has 
been  dispatched,  with  instructions  not  to  cross  the  bar  at  the  har- 
bor of  Charleston,  but  to  afford  to  the  Star  of  the  West  and  those 
on  board  all  the  assistance  they  may  need,  and  in  the  event  the 
recruits  have  not  effected  a  landing  at  Fort  Sumter  they  will 
return  to  Fort 'Monroe. 

"  I  avail  myself  of  the  occasion  to  express  the  great  satisfac- 
tion of  the  Government  at  the  forbearance,  discretion  and  firm- 
ness with  which  you  have  acted,  amid  the  perplexing  and  difficult 
circumstances  in  which  you  have  been  placed.  You  will  continue, 
as  heretofore,  to  act  strictly  on  the  defensive;  to  avoid,  by  all 
means  compatible  with  the  safety  of  your  command,  a  collision 
with  the  hostile  forces  by  which  you  are  surrounded.  But  for  the 
movement,  so  promptly  and  brilliantly  executed,  by  which  you 
transferred  your  forces  to  Fort  Sumter,  the  probability  is  that  ere 
this  the  defenselessness  of  your  position  would  have  invited  an 
attack,  which,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  was  contemplated, 
if  not  in  active  preparation,  which  must  have  led  to  the  effusion 
of  blood,  that  has  been  thus  so  happily  prevented.  The  move- 
ment, therefore,  was  in  every  way  admirable,  alike  for  its  humanity 
[and]  patriotism,  as  for  its  soldiership. 

"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  J.  HOLT, 
"  Secretary  of  War  ad  interim." 

•  Received  January  5,  1861. 


I  78  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

As  the  members  were  leaving  the  Cabinet  session  on  the  3d 
inst.,  when  the  determination  of  the  President  had  been  an- 
nounced, the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  had  been  asked  by  the 
Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Black,  "in  a  spirit  of  kindness  and 
friendship,"  if  in  case  troops  should  be  sent  to  Charleston,  would 
he  feel  bound  to  resign.*  His  reply  was,  that  he  would  so  feel 
bound,  when  the  Secretary  of  State  requested  that  he  might  have 
an  opportunity  to  talk  with  him  before  he  acted.  To  this  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  agreed,  assuring  Judge  Black  at  the 
same  time  that  he  had  no  thought  that  his  purpose  could  be 
changed,  and  he  asks  Judge  Black  if,  at  the  time  of  that 
conversation,  he  knew  that  troops  had  been  ordered  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  President.  In  order  to  restrain  the  South  Caro- 
linians from  coming  in  contact  with  the  Government,  an  event 
which  he  believed  would  only  be  disastrous  to  both  sections  of  the 
country,  and  in  order  to  keep  his  correspondents  apprised  of  the 
action  of  the  Government,  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  had  opened 
and  continued  a  correspondence,  both  by  letter  and  telegram,  with 
Judge  A.  B.  Longstreet,  a  distinguished  citizen  of  South  Carolina. 
On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  January,  the  day  upon  which  the  Star 
of  the  West  left  New  York,  he  had  answered  a  direct  inquiry  of 
his  correspondent  as  follows  : 

"  I  cannot  speak  by  authority,  but  I  do  not  believe  any  addi- 
tional troops  will  be  sent  to  Charleston  while  the  present  status 
lasts.  If  Fort  Sumter  is  attacked,  they  will  be  sent,  I  believe." 

And  to  a  Mr.  A.  N.  Kimball,  of  Jackson,  Miss.,  he  had  tele- 
graphed on  the  previous  day,  "  No  troops  have  been  sent  to 
Charleston,  nor  will  be,  while  I  am  a  member  of  the  Cabinet." 

When,  therefore,  he  was  apprised  of  the  fact  by  a  telegram  in 
the  Constitution  newspaper  of  the  8th  inst.,  that  an  expedition  had 
actually  sailed  and  was  then  on  its  way  to  Charleston  Har- 
bor, he  was  surprised  and  affected  by  the  intelligence.  He  had 
every  reason  to  think  that  his  assurances,  made  in  good  faith,  had 
done  much  to  maintain  the  peaceful  status  which  until  now  had 
prevailed  in  the  harbor  and  to  save  Sumter  from  an  attack.  He 
at  once  determined  to  resign  his  position,  and  while  so  engaged 
in  the  presence  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  a  telegraphic  inquiry  in 
regard  to  the  sailing  of  the  Star  of  the  West  reached  him  from 


*  Mr.  Thompson  to  Judge  Black,  January  14,  1861. 


SEC.   OF  INTERIOR  AND  STAR  OF  THE  WEST.        \  -Q 

Judge  Longstreet.  He  considered  that  he  had  been  trifled  with, 
if  not  deceived,  and  claimed  it  to  be  his  duty,  although  in  so  do- 
ing it  might  imperil  the  Star  of  the  West  and  her  mission,  to 
remove  the  delusion  into  which  he  had  unconsciously  led  his  cor- 
respondent; and  that  in  informing  him,  while  still  a  member  of  the 
Cabinet,  that  reinforcements  had  actually  been  sent,  but  without 
his  knowledge  or  consent,  he  was  not  violating  his  official  duty  or 
taking  improper  advantage  of  his  position,  but  that  "  honor,  truth 
and  justice"  to  Judge  Longstreet  and  himself  required  of  him 
a  reply.* 

He  accordingly  prepared  the  despatch  at  his  house  and  exhib- 
ited it  to  Judge  Black,  the  Secretary  of  State,  who  had  gone 
there  in  order  to  persuade  him  from  the  act.  It  was  to  the  effect 
that  the  Star  of  the  Wesf,  with  250  troops  aboard,  had  sailed  (by 
order  of  the  Hon.  J.  Holt,  the  then  Secretary  of  War)  on  Monday 
morning  to  reinforce  Major  Anderson  at  Charleston.  The  Secre- 
tary had  fully  made  up  his  mind,  and  entrusting  the  despatch  to 
William  W.  Cowling,  the  messenger  of  his  Department,  he  direct- 
ed him  to  cause  its  transmission  by  telegraph  to  his  correspond- 
ent in  South  Carolina.  But  the  messenger  had  been  present, 
and  had  heard  the  discussion  that  took  place  between  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior  and  the  Secretary  of  State,  the  former 
insisting  that  it  was  a  matter  in  which  his  honor  was  involved, 
and  that  the  course  he  proposed  to  pursue,  was  a  "  sacred 
duty,"  while  the  latter  "  kindly  but  firmly  protested  against 
Mr.  Thompson's  action,  and  attempted  to  dissuade  him  from 
taking  such  a  course."!  He  had  been  present,  too,  at  other 
conversations  between  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and 
Southern  Members  of  Congress  and  other  distinguished  Southern 
men,  and  he  was  prepared  to  expect  that  at  any  moment  hostil- 
ities might  commence.  Uncertain  as  to  what  course  to  pursue, 
the  messenger  proceeded  to  the  office  of  the  chief  clerk,  Mr. 
Moses  Kelly,  to  whom  he  submitted  the  despatch,  and  who  assured 
the  messenger  that  he  should  do  what  he  thought  would  be  right, 
and  it  would  be  right  The  messenger  then  tendered  his 


*  Mr.  Thompson's  letter,  March  II,  to  the  National  Intelligencer,  Charles- 
ton Mercury,  March  21,  1861. 

t  Cowling's  statement,  Judge  Black's  papers. 


I  §0  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

resignation,  as  he  had  resolved  to  disobey  the  order  of  the 
Secretary  and  not  to  deliver  the  despatch. 

Shortly  afterward,  meeting  the  Hon.  John  Sherman,  then  a 
Member  of  Congress  from  Ohio,  he  submitted  the  message  to  him 
and  informed  him  that  he  intended  to  detain  it.  In  this  resolve 
he  was  sustained  by  Mr.  Sherman,  with  a  promise  of  protection  in 
case  that  trouble  should  arise  from  his  action. 

The  message  intrusted  to  Cowling  was  not  sent;  but  whether 
from  suspicion  of  his  agent  or  from  an  anxiety  to  ensure  the 
transmission  of  the  information,  or  whether  he  had  again 
heard  from  his  correspondent,  the  Secretary  again  telegraphed, 
on  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  January,  that  the  Star  of  the 
West  had  sailed  for  Charleston  with  250  troops  on  board, 
and  that  she  ought  to  reach  the  city  on  that  day.  The 
Secretary  was  not  alone  in  thus  informing  the  South  Carolina 
authorities,  for  upon  the  same  morning  similar  information 
was  forwarded  by  Senator  Wigfall,  of  Texas,  and  L.  Q.  Wash- 
ington, from  the  city  of  Washington,  and  also  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Ashe, 
from  Wilmington,  N.  C.  On  the  yth  a  telegram  signed  Jones, 
and  to  the  same  effect,  had  been  communicated  to  the 
Convention  at  its  evening  session.  The  telegram  of  L.  Q.  Wash- 
ington was  important ;  it  informed  Governer  Pickens  that  "  Sec- 
retary Thompson  has  resigned.  Government  troops  were  sent 
on  Saturday  night  from  New  York  to  Charleston.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son has  been  deceived  by  the  administration.  These  facts 
I  derived  from  Mr.  Barksdale,  of  Mississippi,  who  has  left  Secre- 
tary Thompson.  (Signed)  L.  Q.  Washington." 

These  telegrams  reached  Charleston  before  5  o'clock  p.  M.  of 
the  8th,  thus  warning  the  authorities,  but  barely  in  time  for  them 
to  complete  their  preparations  of  resistance. 

The  action  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  was  made  the  sub- 
ject of  severe  criticism.  The  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt,  in 
communication  to  a  daily  journal  in  Washington,  on  the  5th  of 
March,  asserted  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  while  yet  a 
member  of  the  Cabinet,  disclosed  to  those  who  were  in  open 
rebellion  against  the  United  States  information  which  he  had 
derived  from  his  official  position,  and  which  he  held  under  the  seals 
of  a  confidence  that  from  the  beginning  of  our  history  as  a  nation 
had  not  been  violated. 

This  met  with  the  earnest  and  emphatic  denial  of  Mr.  Thomp- 


RE  SIGN  A  TION  OF  SECRE  TAR  Y  OF  INTERIOR.         j  g  I 

son,  who  insisted  that  the  information  came  to  him  through  the 
public  prints,  and  was  known  to  every  well-informed  man  in  the 
city  of  Washington  as  soon  as  to  him.* 

Secretary  Holt,  however,  maintained  the  opinion  that,  from 
whatever  source  the  information  was  derived,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior  was  bound  as  o  Secretary  of  the  President  to  keep  it 
secret — a  position  that  was  unassailable. 

Upon  the  same  day  he  transmitted  his  formal  resignation  to 
the  President  as  follows: 

"WASHINGTON,  January  8,  1861. 

"  Sir:  It  is  with  extreme  regret  I  have  just  learned  that 
additional  troops  have  been  ordered  to  Charleston.  This  subject 
has  been  frequently  discussed  in  Cabinet  council;  and  when  on 
Monday  night,  jist  of  December,  ult.,  the  orders  for  reinforce- 
ments to  Fort  Sumter  were  countermanded,  I  distinctly  understood 
from  you  that  no  order  of  the  kind  would  be  made  without  being 
previously  considered  and  decided  in  Cabinet.  It  is  true  that  on 
Wednesday,  January  2,  this  subject  was  again  discussed  in  Cabi- 
net, but  certainly  no  conclusion  was  reached,  and  the  War  De- 
partment was  not  justified  in  ordering  reinforcements  without 
something  more  than  was  then  said.  I  learn,  however,  this 
morning,  for  the  first  time,  that  the  steamer  Star  of  the  West 
sailed  from  New  York  last  Saturday  night  witji  250  men,  under 
Lieutenant  Bartlett,  bound  for  Fort  Sumter.  Under  these  circum- 
stances I  feel  myself  bound  to  resign  my  commission  as  one  of 
your  constitutional  advisers  into  your  hands. 

"  With  life  regard,  your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)     "J.  THOMPSON. 

"  His  EXCELLENCY  JAMES  BUCHANAN, 
"  President  of  the  United  States" 

From  the  fact  that  reinforcements  were  determined  upon,  the 
President  had  anticipated  the  resignation  of  his  Secretary,  and  in 
accepting  it  he  tells  him  that  he  (the  Secretary)  had  been  so 
emphatic  in  opposing  reinforcements  that  his  resignation  was 
expected  in  consequence  of  the  President's  decision. 

The  letter  of  the  President  was  as  follows: 

"WASHINGTON,  January  9,  1861. 

"Sir:  I  have  received  and  accepted  your  resignation  yes- 
terday of  the  office  of  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

"On  Monday  evening,  3151  December,  1860,  I  suspended  the 
orders  which  had  been  issued  by  the  War  and  Navy  Departments 
to  send  the  Brooklyn  with  reinforcements  to  Fort  Sumter.  Of 

*  Mr.  Thompson's  reply,  March  21,  1861. 


I  82  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

this  I  informed  you  on  the  same  evening.  I  stated  to  you  my 
reasons  for  this  suspension,  which  you  knew,  from  its  nature, 
would  be  speedily  removed.  In  consequence  of  your  request, 
however,  I  promised  that  these  orders  should  not  be  renewed 
'without  being  previously  considered  and  decided  in  Cabinet.' 

"  This  promise  was  faithfully  observed  on  my  part.  In  order 
to  carry  it  into  effect,  I  called  a  special  Cabinet  meeting  on  Wed- 
nesday, January  2,  1861,  in  which  the  question  of  sending  rein- 
forcements to  Fort  Sumter  was  amply  discussed,  both  by  your- 
self and  others.  The  decided  majority  of  opinions  was  against 
you.  At  this  moment  the  answer  of  the  South  Carolina  '  Com- 
missioners'  to  my  communication  and  others  of  the  3ist  De- 
cember was  received  and  read.  It  produced  much  indignation 
among  the  members  of  the  Cabinet.  After  a  further  brief  con- 
versation, I  employed  the  following  language  :  'It  is  now  all 
over;  reinforcements  must  be  sent.'  Judge  Black  said,  at  the 
moment  of  my  decision,  that  after  this  letter  the  Cabinet  would 
be  unanimous,  and  I  heard  no  dissenting  voice.  Indeed,  the 
spirit  and  tone  of  the  letter  left  no  doubt  on  my  mind  that  Fort 
Sumter  would  be  immediately  attacked,  and  hence  the  necessity 
of  sending  reinforcements  there  without  delay.  Whilst  you 
admit  that  on  Wednesday,  January  2,  this  subject  was  again  dis- 
cussed in  Cabinet,  you  say  '  but  certainly  no  conclusion  was 
reached,  and  the  War  Department  was  not  justified  in  ordering 
more  than  what  was  then  said.' 

"  You  are  certainly  mistaken  in  alleging  that  no  conclusion 
was  reached. 

"  In  this,  your  recollection  is  entirely  different  from  that  of 
your  four  oldest  colleagues  in  the  Cabinet.  Indeed,  my  lan- 
guage was  so  unmistakable  that  the  Secretaries  of  War  and  the 
Navy  proceeded  to  act  upon  it,  without  any  further  intercourse 
with  myself  than  what  you  heard  or  might  have  heard  me  say. 
You  had  been  so  emphatic  in  opposing  these  reinforcements  that 
I  thought  you  would  resign  in  consequence  of  my  decision.  I 
deeply  regret  that  you  have  been  mistaken  in  point  of  fact, 
though,  I  firmly  believe,  honestly  mistaken.  Still  it  is  certain 
you  have  not  the  less  been  mistaken. 

"  Yours  very  respectfully, 

(Signed)  "  JAMES  BUCHANAN." 

After  severing  his  connection  with  the  Cabinet  the  Secretary 
proceeded  to  his  State,  and  there,  in  a  speech  to  an  assemblage 
that  had  met  to  greet  him,  he  announced  that  as  he  was  writing 
his  resignation  he  sent  a  despatch  to  Judge  Longstreet  that  the 
Star  of  the  West  was  coming  with  reinforcements.  "  The 
troops,"  said  he,  "were  thus  put  on  their  guard,  and  when  the 
Star  of  the  West  arrived,  she  received  a  warm  welcome  from 


SAILING  OF  THE  STAR  OF  THE  WEST.  \  83 

booming  cannon,  and  soon  beat  a  retreat.  I  was  rejoiced  the 
vessel  was  not  sunk,  but  I  was  still  more  rejoiced  that  the  con- 
cealed trick,  first  conceived  by  General  Scott  and  adopted  by 
Secretary  Holt,  but  countermanded  by  the  President  when  too 
late,  proved  a  failure."* 

Meantime,  the  Star  of  the  West  pursued  her  course  towards 
Charleston.!  The  weather  was  fine,  and  off  the  coast  of  North 
Carolina  she  stopped  to  fish.  A  skilled  pilot  accompanied  the 
ship.  At  1:30  on  the  morning  of  the  pth  she  arrived  off  the 
Charleston  bar.  At  first  there  were  no  lights  to  be  seen. 
Extinguishing  her  own,  she  groped  in  the  dark  until  near  dawn, 
when  the  solitary  light  at  Sumter  became  visible.  Checking  her 
course,  she  steamed  slowly  along  under  careful  soundings,  until 
she  arrived  off  the  main  ship  channel,  where  she  hove  to,  to  await 
the  dawn.  At  daylight  a  steamer  was  discovered  a  short  dis- 
tance in-shore.  Upon  seeing  the  ship,  she  immediately  com- 
menced signalling  by  colored  lights  and  rockets,  and  steamed 
rapidly  in  for  the  bar.  A  pilot-boat  had  come  in  and  had  raised 
and  lowered  a  large  American  flag,  and  then  stood  out  again  to  sea. 

In  order  to  get  the  proper  range  for  crossing  the  bar,  the 
ship  remained  hove  to  until  there  was  sufficient  light  to  see  the 
light-house  on  Morris  Island.  All  of  the  buoys  that  marked  the 
channel  had  been  taken  up,  rendering  careful  soundings  neces- 
sary. At  6:20  A.  M.  the  national  flag  was  run  to  the  peak,  and  the 
ship  crossed  the  bar  at  high  water  and  continued  along  the  Morris 
Island  side  up  the  ship  channel;  the  steamer  before  noticed  keep- 
ing on  her  course  toward  Moultrie,  about  a  mile  distant  and 
constantly  signalling. 

When  opposite  to  a  group  of  houses  near  the  shore,  a  red 
Palmetto  flag  was  seen,  and  immediately  and  without  warning  a 
gun  -  battery  opened  upon  the  ship.  The  battery  was  con- 
cealed amid  the  sand-hills  near  the  shore,  and  its  existence  had  been 
unsuspected.  Its  first  shot  had  been  fired  across  the  bow  of  the 
ship,  which,  however,  continued  on  its  course,  when  a  rapid  and 
continuous  fire  was  opened  by  the  battery.  The  firing  was  wild 
arid  unskillful,  narrowly  missing  the  pilot-house  and  machinery. 
One  spent  shot  struck  the  ship  aft  near  the  rudder,  while  another 


National  Intelligencer,  March  2,  1861. 
Captain  McGowan's  report. 


1 84  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

struck  just  aft  the  port  channels,  about  two  feet  above  the  water- 
line,  passing  through  one  of  the  guards.  As  soon  as  the  battery 
had  opened  fire,  a  large  garrison  flag  was  run  up  at  the  fore,  low- 
ered, and  again  run  up  as  a  signal  to  Major  Anderson,  whose  flag 
was  flying  at  Sumter.  Just  before  leaving  New  York  this  flag 
had  been  sent  on  board  by  Assistant  Adjutant-General  Thomas, 
who  accompanied  the  officers  and  men  to  the  ship,  and  who  com- 
municated to  the  captain  definite  orders  to  the  effect  that  he  was 
to  hoist  it  "  at  the  fore,  in  case  the  batteries  fired  "  upon  him, 
"  and  that  Major  Anderson  would  understand  it  and  protect  the 
ship  with  the  guns  of  Sumter." 

The  Star  of  the  West  had  now  almost  passed  the  battery,  and 
continued  her  course  against  a  strong  ebb  tide,  up  the  main  ship 
channel.  Her  draft  of  water  rendered  this  necessary,  and  she 
would  soon  be  within  the  range  of  the  guns  of  Fort  Moultrie,  then 
distant  about  one  and  a  half  miles.  Seeing  her  approach,  the 
commanding  officer  of  that  work  determined  to  gratify  the  anxiety 
of  his  men  "  to  try  a  shot,"*  and  changing  the  elevation  of  her 
guns,  opened  at  long  range  with  four  Columbiads  and  two 
32-pounders,  the  shots  falling  wildly  and  in  all  directions.  Fort 
Sumter  was  silent.  It  was  then  determined,  both  by  the  officer 
in  command  of  the  troops  and  the  captain  of  the  ship,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  reach  Fort  Sumter.  Had  she  continued  upon 
her  course  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  have  gone  bows-on 
to  a  buoy  in  the  channel  1,100  yards  from  the  fort,  where,  to 
enter  the  inner  harbor,  she  must  have  exposed  her  broadside 
to  the  direct  and  close  fire  of  the  entire  battery  of  Fort  Moultrie 
bearing  on  the  channel,  and  whose  fire  would  have  been, 
in  all  probability,  fatal.  Lessening  her  speed  she  came  round 
in  a  narrow  part  of  the  channel,  lowered  the  flag  from  her 
fore,  and  putting  on  all  steam  headed  down  the  channel  for  the 
bar,  the  battery  on  Morris  Island  continuing  its  fire  as  long  as 
the  ship  was  within  range,  but  without  injury.  The  strong  ebb- 
tide carried  the  ship  swiftly  out  of  range  to  the  bar,  upon  which 
the  tide  had  so  fallen  that  she  struck  three  times  in  crossing  it. 
A  steamer  from  Charleston  followed  the  retiring  ship  for  some 
hours,  but  finally  returned.  There  was  no  communication  with 
any  vessel  or  boats,  or  with  any  persons,  nor  was  any  warning 


*  Colonel  Ripley's  official  report 


FIRED  UPON— ITS  EFFECT  IN  SUMTER.  j  g  - 

J 

not  to  enter  the  harbor  given  to  the  ship  from  any  source  what- 
ever that  was  understood.  Upon  the  evening  of  the  day  upon 
which  the  firing  took  place,  Captain  Carraghan,  a  pilot,  who  was 
stationed  with  his  boat  off  the  bar  to  warn  vessels  bearing  the 
United  States  flag  not  to  enter,  was  summoned  before  the  Ex- 
ecutive Council  in  Charleston.  He  stated  that  he  saw  the  Star 
of  the  West  that  morning,  "and  made  every  effort  to  hail  her, 
and  hoisted  a  white  flag,  but  that  she  took  no  notice  of  it."* 

The  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  was  not  without  warning,  although 
unofficial  and  accidental,  that  an  effort  to  relieve  and  reinforce 
them  was  about  to  be  made.  By  a  boat  which  came  to  the  fort 
on  the  8th  of  January  with  some  employees  of  the  Engineer 
Department,  a  newspaper  was  received  which  announced  that 
the  Star  of  the  West  was  to  sail  with  reinforcements  for  the  fort, 
and  would  be  down  that  night.  The  news  in  its  unofficial  shape 
was  not  credited  by  the  garrison.  Major  Anderson  thought  that 
Lieutenant-General  Scott  would  not  send  troops  except  by  a  ves- 
sel of  war,  and  in  consequence  no  especial  arrangements  were 
made  nor  orders  given,  in  anticipation  of  such  a  contingency; 
while  at  the  same  time  the  cheering  which  was  distinctly  heard 
from  Fort  Johnson  and  at  Cummings  Point  convinced  the  garrison 
of  Fort  Sumter  that  something  unusual  was  anticipated. 

At  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  pth  of  January  the  writer 
was  aroused  by  the  announcement  that  the  Carolinians  were  firing 
from  Morris  Island  upon  a  vessel  bearing  the  national  flag,  that  was 
attempting  to  enter  the  harbor.  He  went  at  once  to  the  parapet  at 
the  southeast  angle  of  the  work.  A  large  steamer  was  coming  in 
with  the  flag  flying  at  her  peak.  Major  Anderson,  who  had  been 
aroused  by  Captain  Doubleday  upon  the  firing  of  the  first  gun 
from  the  battery,  had  given  orders  to  beat  the  long  roll,  and  the 
men  had  fallen  in,  had  reached  the  parapet  and  had  manned  the 
guns.  Three  24-pounders  and  one  8-inch  seacoast  howitzer  were 
the  onty  guns  mounted  on  the  gorge  of  the  work,  and  no  ammu- 
nition had  yet  been  served  to  them.  The  grape  with  which  they 
had  been  loaded  was  taken  out  and  they  were  loaded  with  solid  shot. 
They  were  of  the  lighter  calibre,  and,  encumbering  the  parade, 
they  had  been  mounted  on  the  parapet  to  clear  the  way  for  the 
heavier  guns,  the  main  object  of  the  garrison  being  to  transfer  the 


*  Minutes  of  the  Executive  Council. 


I  86  THE  GENE  SI*  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

large  amount  of  ordnance  material,  besides  the  provisions  and 
stores  which  obstructed  the  entrances  to  the  work,  to  the 
interior,  and  to  prepare  at  once  to  resist  an  assault  which  the 
exposed  and  unfinished  condition  of  the  fort  too  evidently 
invited.  All  was  soon  in  readiness,  and  the  gunner  (Oakes)  stood 
with  the  lanyard  in  his  hand  at  the  8-inch  seacoast  howitzer  and 
ready  for  the  word.  The  battery  was  nearly  1,000  or  2,000  yards 
distant,  and  had  been  built  under  a  sand-hill  wholly  safe  from 
any  direct  shots  and  almost  secure  from  shells,  owing  to  the 
difficulty  of  exploding  a  shell  over  a  fixed  point.  Major 
Anderson,  with  Lieutenants  Davis  and  Meade  and  the  writer,  was 
in  the  angle  of  the  parapet,  the  latter  with  his  glass  upon  the 
steamer  and  reporting  her  movements.  MajorAnderson  was  excited 
and  uncertain  what  to  do.  The  steamer,  in  the  midst  of  the  fire 
upon  her,  had  hoisted  and  lowered  a  large  national  flag  to  her 
fore,  when  the  writer  reported  to  Major  Anderson  that  she  was 
making  signals  to  the  fort.  Major  Anderson  turned  to  his  flag, 
but  the  halliards  had  become  twisted  about  the  staff  and  the  flag 
could  not  be  used.  Fort  Moultrie  had  now  opened,  when 
Lieutenant  Davis  called  the  attention  of  Major  Anderson  to  the 
fact,  and  suggested  that  it  was  upon  that  fort  that  our  fire  should 
be  opened,  and  that  to  fire  upon  the  battery  would  be  useless. 
Major  Anderson  seemed  for  a  moment  to  acquiesce,  and  directed 
Lieutenant  Davis  to  go  down  to  the  lower  tier,  to  take  command 
of  a  battery  of  two  42-pounders  which  were  mounted  in  the  angle 
and  which  bore  on  Fort  Moultrie,  and  to  await  his  orders. 

Lieutenant  Meade  earnestly  advised  that  fire  should  not  be 
opened  at  all,  as  it  would  at  once  initiate  civil  war,  and  that  the 
Governor  would  probably  repudiate  the  act.  Meantime,  the  Star 
of  the  West  had  passed  the  battery,  when  Moultrie  opening  upon 
her,  she  turned  and  left  the  harbor.  Seeing  her  turn,  Major 
Anderson  said,  "Hold  on;  do  not  fire.  I  will  wait.  Let  the 
men  go  to  their  quarters,  leaving  two  at  each  gun — I  wish  to  see 
the  officers  at  my  quarters."* 


Personal  notes. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Council  of  the  officers  upon  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West— Their  indi- 
vidual opinions— Major  Anderson  writes  to  the  Governor— His  threat  to 
close  the  harbor  to  all  vessels— Sends  Lieutenant  Hall,  under  a  white  flag, 
with  letter  to  Governor— Scenes  in  Charleston— Reply  of  Governor,  who 
avows  the  act— Council  of  officers  reconvened— Anderson  determines  to 
send  messenger  to  Washington— Lieutenant  Talbot  and  the  writer  his 
messengers  to  Governor  informing  him  of  his  change  of  purpose— Safe- 
guard given  to  Talbot  through  the  State— Governor  sends  messengers  to 
Major  Anderson,  asking  delivery  of  Fort  Sumter  to  State— Interview- 
Governor's  letter— Officers,  reassembled  in  Council,  reject  the  demand  of 
Governor— Statement  of  messenger— Reply  of  Anderson  to  his  letter— 
Upon  Anderson's  suggestion,  matter  referred  to  Washington— Lieutenant 
Hall  selected  as  messenger  by  Anderson,  Hon.  J.  W.  Hayne  by  the  Gov- 
ernor—His special  instructions — Departs  for  Washington. 

THE  officers  assembled  in  Major  Anderson's  quarters  at  once. 
All  were  present.  The  sight  they  had  just  seen  seemed  to 
impress  each  one  individually.  The  flag  of  the  country  had  been 
fired  upon  under  the  very  guns  of  their  work,  and  no  helping 
hand  had  been  extended.  Major  Anderson  stated  to  them  that 
he  had  called  them  together  to  hear  their  views  in  relation  to  the 
act  of  the  State,  and  to  say  to  them  that  he  proposed  to  close  the 
harbor  with  his  guns,  and  to  fire  upon  any  vessel  that  might 
attempt  to  enter.*  He  desired  to  receive  any  recommendations 
they  might  have  to  make.  He  began  with  asking  the  junior  officer, 
Lieutenant  Hall,  who  was  his  adjutant.  Lieutenant  Hall  stated 
that  he  thought  the  harbor  should  be  closed  by  our  guns.  Lieu- 
tenant Meade,  of  the  Engineer  Department,  thought  that  we 
should  wait:  to  close  the  harbor  would  be  an  act  of  war;  that 
we  would  thus  inaugurate  civil  war  in  the  country,  and  as  we  had 
been  directed  to  act  upon  the  defensive  strictly,  we  had  no  right 
to  take  such  a  step.  Lieutenant  Snyder  was  for  immediate  action; 
he  was  in  favor  of  closing  the  harbor  to  all  vessels  and  firing  upon 
all  steamboats  that  were  engaged  in  carrying  reinforcements. 
Lieutenant  Davis  thought  that  we  should  wait,  and  send  to  the 


Personal  notes. 

187 


I  88  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 

Governor,  informing  him  of  what  had  occurred,  and  ask  if  he 
avowed  the  act.  If  he  sanctioned  it  we  were  then  to  close  the 
harbor  with  our  guns.  Captain  Seymour's  opinion  not  recorded. 
Captain  Doubleday  advised  immediate  action.  He  thought  that 
every  day's  delay  would  add  to  the  strength  of  their  position  and 
that  they  would  finally  shell  the  fort.  Assistant  Surgeon  Craw- 
ford thought  that  as  the  battery  was  not  fired  upon  when  il 
opened  upon  the  ship,  we  had  suffered  the  opportunity  to  go  by 
for  immediate  action,  and  that  it  would  be  better  now  to  send  to 
the  Governor  and  let  him  know  our  determination.  Major 
Anderson  acquiesced  in  the  suggestion  of  the  officers,  that  the 
Governor  should  be  advised  of  the  course  he  proposed  to  take  in 
case  the  action  of  his  subordinates  in  firing  upon  the  ship  should  be 
avowed  by  him,  and  he  at  once  addressed  the  following  despatch  to 
the  Governor  of  the  State: 

FORT  SUMTER,  South  Carolina,  January  9,  1861. 

"  Sir :  Two  of  your  batteries  fired  this  morning  upon  an 
unarmed  vessel  bearing  the  flag  of  my  Government.  As  I  have 
not  been  notified  that  war  has  been  declared  by  South  Carolina 
against  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  I  cannot  but  think 
that  this  hostile  act  was  committed  without  your  sanction  or 
authority.  Under  that  hope,  and  that  alone,  did  I  refrain  from 
opening  fire  upon  your  batteries.  I  have  therefore  respectfully 
to  ask  whether  the  above-mentioned  act,  one  I  believe  without  a 
parallel  in  the  history  of  our  country  or  of  any  other  civilized 
government,  was  committed  in  obedience  to  your  instructions,  and 
to  notify  you,  if  it  be  not  disclaimed,  that  I  must  regard  it  as  an 
act  of  war,  and  that  I  shall  not,  after  a  reasonable  time  for  the 
return  of  my  messenger,  permit  any  vessel  to  pass  within  range  of 
the  guns  in  my  fort.  In  order  to  save,  as  far  as  lies  within  my 
power,  the  shedding  of  blood,  I  beg  that  you  will  have  due  notice 
of  this,  my  decision,  given  to  all  concerned.  Hoping,  however, 
that  your  answer  may  be  such  as  will  justify  a  further  continuance 
of  forbearance  upon  my  part,  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"  Major  First  Artillery,  Commanding. 

"  To  His  EXCELLENCY  the  GOVERNOR  of  South  Carolina." 

This  despatch  was  submitted  by  Major  Anderson  to  a  council 
of  his  officers,  and  approved  of  by  them,  with  the  insertion  of  the 
clause  that  he  would  await  a  reasonable  time  for  the  return  of  his 
messenger  before  opening  fire?  which  was  not  part  of  the  original 


GOVERNOR  REPLIES  TO  MAJOR  ANDERSON. 

despatch.  The  delivery  of  the  despatch  was  entrusted  to  Lieu- 
tenant Hall,  who  in  full  uniform  and  under  a  white  flag  bore  it 
to  Charleston.  Upon  landing,  he  was  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of 
citizens.  Making  his  way  with  difficulty  through  them  and  fol- 
lowed by  them,  he  finally  found  the  Governor  in  council  at  his 
office.  At  the  door  he  met  an  aide,  who  invited  him  to  enter.  He 
declined,  but  requested  that  his  card  be  taken  to  the  Governor, 
with  the  statement  that  he  had  come  under  a  white  flag  to  see 
him  in  person.  The  council  was  dissolved,  and  he  was  introduced 
to  the  Governor.  In  the  meantime,  a  report  had  been  spread 
through  the  city  that  the  object  of  Lieutenant  Hall's  visit  was  to 
announce  that  the  city  would  be  bombarded,  and  statements  to 
that  effect  were  posted  upon  the  bulletins. 

The  boat's  crew  were  at  once  beseiged  by  the  crowd,  but  were 
ordered  to  hold  no  communication  with  any  one.  After  reading 
the  communication  of  Major  Anderson,  the  Governor  called  his 
Cabinet  together  and  submitted  the  letter  to  them.  After  some 
delay  an  answer  to  the  communication  was  handed  to  Lieutenant 
Hall  by  Governor  Pickens  in  person.  As  a  matter  of  prudence, 
in  the  excited  state  of  the  people,  Lieutenant  Hall  was  returned 
to  his  boat  by  carriage,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  aides  of  the 
Governor  and  an  escort. 

The  reply  of  the  Governor  was  clear  and  decided.  He  infers 
that  Major  Anderson  had  not  been  informed  fully  of  the  "  precise 
relations  "  which  existed  between  the  General  Government  and 
the  State  of  South  Carolina.  That  the  State  had  seceded  and  had 
resumed  all  of  her  delegated  powers,  and  had  communicated  the 
fact  officially  to  the  Government,  and  that  the  right  thus  exercised 
did  not  now  admit  of  discussion.  That  it  was  understood  by  the 
President  that  the  sending  of  any  reinforcements  to  the  troops  in 
the  harbor  would  be  regarded,  equally  with  any  change  in  the 
occupation  of  those  forts,  as  an  act  of  hostility.  That  the  occu- 
pancy of  Fort  Sumter  had  been  regarded  as  the  first  act  of 
positive  hostility  committed  by  the  troops  of  the  United  States 
within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  that  it  occasioned  the  termina- 
tion of  the  negotiations  then  pending  at  Washington.  The 
attempt  to  reinforce  Fort  Sumter  or  to  retake  the  other  forts 
which  were  abandoned,  could  only  be  considered  by  the  authori- 
ties as  an  attempt  to  coerce  the  State  by  armed  force,  and  to  repel 
such  an  attempt  was  only  "too  plainly  its  duty."  Special  agents 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

had  been  stationed  off  the  bar  to  warn  all  approaching  vessels 
having  troops  on  board  to  reinforce  the  forts  not  to  enter  this 
harbor,  and  special  orders  had  been  communicated  to  the  officers 
in  command  not  to  open  fire  upon  such  vessels  "  until  a  shot 
thrown  across  their  bows  should  warn  them  of  the  prohibition  of 
the  State."  "Under  these  circumstances,"  said  he,  "t/ie  Star  of 
the  West,  it  is  understood,  this  morning  attempted  to  enter  this 
harbor  with  troops  on  board,  and  having  been  notified  that  she 
could  not  enter,  was  fired  into.  The  act  is  perfectly  justified  by 
me."  He  informs  Major  Anderson,  also,  that  his  position  in  the 
harbor  had  been  tolerated  by  the  authorities;  that  while  the  act  he 
complained  of  was  in  perfect  consistency  with  the  rights  of  the  State, 
the  course  he  proposed  to  follow  was  only  reconcilable  with  "that 
of  imposing  upon  the  State  the  condition  of  a  conquered  province." 

This  communication  was  read  in  the  presence  of  the  officers, 
who  thought  it  rather  an  extraordinary  answer  to  the  note  of 
Major  Anderson.  It  defined,  however,  so  clearly  the  position 
of  the  Governor,  that  the  immediate  commencement  of  hostili- 
ties was  anticipated.  Indeed,  it  now  seemed  that  there  was  but 
one  course  to  pursue. 

Shortly  afterward,  however,  Major  Anderson  again  called  the 
officers  together  and  stated  to  them  that  he  had,  upon  reflection, 
determined  that  it  was  but  right  to  send  a  messenger  to  Wash- 
ington, and  he  desired  to  hear  the  opinion  of  the  officers  upon 
the  subject.  It  was  generally  conceded  that  it  would  be  but 
right,  although  some  of  the  officers  thought  that  we  should 
at  once  pursue  the  course  that  we  had  laid  down.  Lieutenant 
Talbot  was  selected  by  Major  Anderson  to  go  to  Washington, 
and,  in  advance,  to  bear  the  following  letter  to  the  Governor. 

"  HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C., 

January  9,  1861. 
"To  His  EXCELLENCY  F.  W.  PICKENS, 

"  Governor  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina. 
"  Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
communication  of  to-day,  and  to  say  that,  under  the  circum- 
stances, I  have  deemed  it  proper  to  refer  the  whole  matter  to  my 
Government  and  that  I  intend  deferring  the  course  indicated  in 
my  note  of  this  morning,  until  the  arrival  from  Washington  of 
the  instructions  I  may  receive.  I  have  the  honor,  also,  to 
express  a  hope  that  no  obstructions  will  be  placed  in  the  way  of, 
and  that  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  afford  every  facility  to,  the 


MESSENGER  SENT  TO  WASHINGTON. 

departure  and  return  of  the  bearer,  Lieutenant  T.  Talbot,  United 
States  Army,  who  has  been  directed  to  make  the  journey. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 

(Signed)  "  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

Major  U.  S.  A.,  commanding." 

Later  in  the  day,  Lieutenant  Talbot,  in  citizen's  dress,  accom- 
panied by  the  writer  in  uniform,  left  the  work  under  a  white  flag 
and  proceeded  to  Charleston.  Upon  arriving  in  Charleston,  they 
were  followed  by  a  crowd  to  the  Charleston  Hotel,  where  it  was 
thought  that  the  Governor  was  to  be  found.  A  card  was  sent, 
when,  after  a  long  delay,  an  aide-de-camp  of  the  Governor  con- 
ducted the  officers  to  the  executive  office,  where  the  Governor 
was  engaged  in  session  with  his  Cabinet,  and  where,  apparently 
much  business  was  being  transacted.  The  letter  of  Major  Ander- 
son was  handed  by  Lieutenant  Talbot  to  the  Governor,  who,  upon 
reading  it,  expressed  his  gratification  at  receiving  it,  that  he  was 
"very glad  indeed,"  and  that  of  course  Lieutenant  Talbot  could 
go  to  Washington,  and  that  he  would  afford  him  every  facility. 
From  the  marked  courtesy  shown  by  the  Governor  and  those 
around  him,  as  well  as  from  the  expressions  used  in  the  conver- 
sation that  ensued,  it  was  inferred  by  the  officers  who  carried  the 
letter,  that  the  suspension  of  his  decision  to  open  fire  upon  the 
shipping,  and  his  determination  to  submit  the  matter  to  his  Gov- 
ernment upon  the  part  of  Major  Anderson,  was  gratifying  to  the 
authorities  of  the  State.  The  officers  were  then  presented  to  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet.  The  Governor  then  gave  a  safeguard 
to  Lieutenant  Talbot  to  proceed  through  the  State,  and  also  a 
permit  to  Assistant  Surgeon  Crawford  to  obtain  the  mail  matter 
for  the  fort,  the  transmission  of  which  had  been  prohibited.  The 
officers  returned  to  the  boat  accompanied  by  one  of  the  aides  of 
the  Governor  in  a  carriage,  to  avoid  the  crowd.  Some  seventy  or 
eighty  persons  had  collected  at  the  boat.  No  opposition  was  made 
to  the  removal  of  Lieutenant  Talbot's  baggage  to  the  station,  and 
the  boat  returned  to  the  fort. 

The  threat  of  Major  Anderson  to  close  the  harbor  to  all  vessels 
had  brought  the  possibility  of  his  being  able  to  execute  that  threat 
so  plainly  before  the  State  authorities  that  it  was  determined  to 
renew  the  demand  upon  him  for  the  delivery  of  Fort  Sumter  to 
the  authorities  of  the  State.  Accordingly,  shortly  after  noon  on 
the  nth  of  January,  the  same  day  upon  which  the  hulks  of  four 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

vessels  were  sunk  across  the  channel  at  the  entrance  of  the  harbor, 
a  small  steamer  under  a  white  flag  was  seen  approaching  the  work. 
She  grounded  near  the  fort,  when,  upon  being  hailed,  she  replied 
"  Messenger  from  the  Governor."  A  boat  was  sent  to  her  and 
brought  Judge  A.  G.  Magrath,  the  Secretary  of  State  of  South 
Carolina,  and  General  D.  F.  Jamison,  the  State  Secretary  of 
War,  messengers  from  the  Governor  to  Major  Anderson.  They 
were  met  by  Major  Anderson  at  the  wharf  and  conducted  by  him 
into  the  room  of  the  officer  of  the  guard,  within  the  sally-port  of 
the  work,  where  they  remained  for  some  time  in  close  consulta- 
tion, when  Captain  Doubleday,  Captain  Seymour  and  Captain 
Foster  were  called  into  the  room.  After  some  conversation  the 
rest  of  the  officers  were  sent  for  as  a  council  of  war,  and  to  them 
was  submitted  the  letter  of  the  Governor.  It  was  as  follows: 

"  STATE  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA,  Executive  Office, 

"Charleston,  January  n,  1861 
"  To  MAJOR  ANDERSON, 

"  Commanding  Fort  Sumter. 

"  Sir:  I  have  thought  proper,  under  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  peculiar  state  of  public  affairs  in  the  country  at  present,  to 
appoint  the  Hon.  A.  G.  Magrath  and  General  D.  F.  Jamison,  both 
members  of  the  Executive  Council  and  of  the  highest  position  in 
the  State,  to  present  to  you  considerations  of  the  gravest  public 
character,  and  of  the  deepest  interest  to  all  who  deprecate  the 
improper  waste  of  life,  to  induce  the  delivery  of  Fort  Sumter  to 
the  constituted  authorities  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  with  a 
pledge  on  its  part  to  account  for  such  public  property  as  is  under 
your  charge. 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)     «  F.  W.  PICKENS." 

The  conversation  in  the  guard-room  was  general,  and  with 
special  reference  to  the  consideration  involved  in  the  proposition 
of  the  Governor.  Judge  Magrath  was  the  principal  speaker.  He 
set  forth  the  reasons  for  the  demand  in  an  argument  of  great  force 
from  the  standpoint  assumed  by  the  State.  Upon  the  assem- 
bling of  the  officers,  the  question  was  submitted  to  Major  Ander- 
son, "  Shall  we  accede  to  the  demand  of  the  Governor,  or  shall 
we  not  ?  "  when  it  was  unanimously  decided  that  the  demand  of 
the  Governor  should  not  be  acceded  to  under  any  circumstances. 
Lieutenant  Meade,  the  junior  officer,  suggested  that,  as  a  mes- 
senger had  been  sent  to  Washington,  it  would  be  proper  to  await 


DELIVERY  OF  THE  FORT  DEMANDED. 


193 


his  return,  and  in  this  view  all  the  officers  coincided.     The  officers 
then  separated,  after  some  conversation,  and  returned  to  the  room 
of  the  officer  of  the  guard,  where  a  long  conversation  ensued  with 
the  messengers  from  the  Governor.     A  marked  impression  was 
made  upon  them  by  the  statements  made.     They  were  told  that 
the  Government  at  Washington  was   almost   dissolved,  that  a 
Senator,  from  his  seat  in  the  Senate,  had  asked  who  was  de  facto 
Secretary  of  War,*  and  that  the  President  had  denied  that  rein- 
forcements had  been  sent  to  us  by  his  authority;  that  Mississippi 
had  left  the  Union,  and  that  all  Virginia  was  in  a  blaze;   that  Sena- 
tor Davis,  in  taking  leave  of  the  Senate,  had  delivered  a  speech 
which  had  made  the  most  profound  impression  in  the  country.  In 
reference  to  the  fort,   General  Jamison  stated  that  there   were 
20,000  men  in  the  State  that  were  ready  to  come  and  would  come 
down  and  take  them,  and  that  they  would  tear  the  fort  to  pieces 
with  their  fingers,  and  that  the  waters  of  the  harbor  would  be 
stained  with  blood;  and  that  the  people  in  the  interior  could  hardly 
be  restrained   from  coming  down  now.     Major  Anderson  now 
re-entered  the  room,  and  stated  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  com- 
ply with  the  request  of    the  Governor.     General   Jamison   had 
remarked  that  he  regretted  it  very  much,  as  God  only  knew  what 
the  consequences  would  be,  when    Judge    Magrath    then  said, 
deliberately  and  with  feeling:  "  I  desire  you  to  understand,  Major 
Anderson,  that  it  is  not  an  alternative  that  is  offered  to  you  by 
the  Governor,  it  is  not  peace  or  war  that  he  offers  in  making  this 
communication  to  you:  it  is  done  more  to  give  you  an  oppor- 
tunity, after  understanding  all  the  circumstances,  to  prevent  blood- 
shed."!    Major  Anderson  at  once  replied:    "I  am  very  glad  to 
know  this;  I  did  not  so  understand  it;  but  I  cannot  do  what 
belongs  to  the  Government  to  do.     The  demand  must  be  made 
upon  them,  and  I  appeal  to  you  as  a  Christian,  as  a  man,  and  as  a 
fellow-countryman,  to  do  all  that  you  can  to  prevent  an  appeal  to 
arms.     I  do  not  say  as  a  soldier,  for  my  duty  is  plain  in  that 
respect.     Let  it  be  the  last  and  not  the  first  resort.     Why  not 
exhaust  diplomacy,  as  on  other  matters  ?     I  assure  you  that  I  am 
ready  to  assist  you  in  every  way  in  my  power  to  settle  the  matter 
peaceably.     I  will  send  an  officer  with  a  messenger  from  the 

-  Senator  Slidell. 
t  Personal  notes. 


IQ4  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Governor  to  Washington.  I  will  do  anything  that  is  possible  and 
honorable  to  do  to  prevent  an  appeal  to  arms."  An  impressive 
silence  followed,  when  the  messengers  shortly  afterward  took 
their  leave.  The  action  of  the  Governor  was  considered  by  Major 
Anderson  as  a  demand  upon  him  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort. 
Although  he  had  received  instructions  as  to  his  course  should  he 
be  attacked  in  his  position — which,  however,  he  had  reported  as 
secure — he  deemed  it  proper  to  transfer  the  responsibility  of  any 
decision  to  Washington,  and  he  prepared  and  handed  to  the  mes- 
sengers of  the  Governor  the  following  letter  as  they  were  leaving 

the  work: 

HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C, 

January  u,  1861. 
"  To  His  EXCELLENCY  F.  W.  PICKENS, 

"  Governor  of  South  Carolina." 

Sir :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
demand  for  the  surrender  of  this  fort  to  the  authorities  in  South 
Carolina,  and  to  say  in  reply  that  the  demand  is  one  with  which 
I  cannot  comply.  Your  Excellency  knows  that  I  have  recently 
sent  a  messenger  to  Washington,  and  that  it  will  be  impossible  for 
me  to  receive  an  answer  to  my  despatch  forwarded  by  him,  at  an 
earlier  date  than  next  Monday.  What  the  character  of  my 
instructions  may  be,  I  cannot  foresee. 

Should  your  Excellency  deem  fit,  prior  to  a  resort  to  arms,  to 
refer  this  matter  to  Washington,  it  would  afford  me  the  smcerest 
pleasure  to  depute  one  of  my  officers  to  accompany  any  messen- 
ger you   may  deem  proper  to  be  the  bearer  of  your  demand. 
Hoping  to  God  that  in  this   and  all  other  matters  in  which  the 
honor,  welfare  and  life  of  our  fellow-countrymen  are  concerned, 
we  shall  so  act  as  to  meet   His  approval,  and   deeply  regretting 
that  you  have  made  a  demand  with  which  I  cannot  comply, 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  highest  regard, 
"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"  Major  U.  S.  Army,  Commanding" 

Before  leaving  the  fort  General  Jamison  stated  to  the  writer 
that  the  officers  in  the  fort  could  have  no  idea  of  the  intense 
feeling  animating  all  classes  in  the  State,  and  that  he  daily 
received  offers  of  service  from  all  quarters  offering  to  serve  the 
State  in  the  humblest  capacity.  Upon  the  return  of  the  messen- 
gers to  Charleston,  with  a  report  of  their  mission  and  the  decision 
and  proposition  of  Major  Anderson,  the  Governor  at  once  deter- 
mined to  acquiesce  in  the  latter,  and  early  on  the  morning  of  the 


DEMAND  RENE  WED  AT  WA  SHING  TON.  j  g  c 

1 2th  a  boat  under  a  white  flag  was  again  seen  approaching  the 
work.  An  aide  of  the  Governor,  accompanied  by  Mr.  R.  N.  Gour- 
din,  had  come  to  say  that  the  Governor  had  determined  to  send 
a  messenger  to  Washington  with  the  officers  selected  by  Major 
Anderson.  Lieutenant  Hall  was  selected,  and  in  a  short  time 
was  in  readiness.  His  instructions  were  not  only  in  writing,  but 
he  was  charged  to  lay  before  the 'Government  a  detailed  narrative 
of  the  events  that  had  transpired. 

Meantime,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  having  determined  to 
send  a  messenger  to  accompany  Lieutenant  Hall  to  Washing- 
ton, selected  the  Hon.  Isaac  W.  Hayne,  the  Attorney-General  of 
the  State,  and  on  January  1 1  addressed  a  communication  to  the 
President.  He  stated  that  he  regarded  the  possession  of  Fort 
Sumter  by  the  troops  of  the  United  States  under  the  command 
of  Major  Anderson,  "  as  not  consistent  with  the  dignity  or  safety 
of  the  State  of  South  Carolina."  That  he  had  that  day 
addressed  a  communication  to  Major  Anderson  to  obtain  posses- 
sion of  the  forts;  that  Major  Anderson  had  informed  him  that  he 
had  no  authority  to  comply  with  his  request,  and  had  referred  his 
demand  to  the  President ;  that  he,  the  Governor,  had  determined 
to  send  to  the  President  the  Hon.  Isaac  W.  Hayne,  the  Attorney- 
General  of  the  State,  and  had  instructed  him  to  demand  the 
delivery  of  Fort  Sumter  to  the  State.  He  states  also,  that  both 
his  previous  demands  of  Major  Anderson  and  the  one  he  now 
makes  of  the  President  are  suggested  in  view  of  his  earnest  desire 
to  avoid  blooc  shed,  which  a  persistence  in  the  retention  of  the 
fort  would  cause,  and  which  would  be  unavailing  to  secure  that 
possession  to  the  Government.  In  the  demand  which  he  now 
made,  he  would  secure  for  the  State  the  satisfaction  of  having 
exhausted  every  attempt  to  avoid  the  unhappy  consequences,  if 
such  should  ensue.  The  envoy  was  also  authorized  to  pledge  the 
State  to  an  accountability  for  the  valuation  of  the  public  property 
of  the  United  States  within  Fort  Sumter,  when  the  relations  of  the 
State  with  the' United  States  should  be  adjusted. 

The  special  instructions  to  the  envoy  were  communicated  to 
him  by  the  Secretary  of  State  of  South  Carolina  from  the 
"Executive  Office,  State  Department,  Charleston,  January  12, 
1861."  The  demand  upon  the  President  now  made  was  stated. 
The  interruption  of  the  negotiations  authorized  by  the  Conven- 
tion, empowering  its  Commissioners  to  enter  into  negotiations 


1 96  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR, 

with  the  General  Government  for  the  delivery  of  forts  and  other 
real  estate  within  the  limits  of  South  Carolina,  was  referred  to;  and 
that  this  interruption  left  all  matters  connected  with  Fort  Sumter 
and  the  United  States  troops  in  the  State  affected  by  the  fact 
"that  the  continued  possession  of  the  fort  was  not  consistent 
with  the  dignity  or  safety  of  the  State,  and  that  an  attempt  to 
reinforce  the  fort  would  be  resisted.  A  state  of  hostilities  had,  in 
consequence,  arisen  and  the  State  placed  in  a  condition  of 
defense,  and  that  while  she  was  preparing,  an  attempt  was  made 
to  reinforce  Fort  Sumter  and  repelled."  "  You  are  now  instructed 
to  proceed  to  Washington,  and  there,  in  the  name  of  the  Governor 
of  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  inquire  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  whether  it  was  by  his  order  that  troops  of  the 
United  States  were  sent  into  the  harbor  of  Charleston  to  rein- 
force Fort  Sumter.  If  he  avows  that  order,  you  will  then  inquire 
whether  he  asserts  a  right  to  introduce  troops  of  the  United 
States  within  the  limits  of  this  State,  to  occupy  Fort  Sumter,  and 
you  will,  in  case  of  his  avowal,  inform  him  that  neither  will  be 
permitted,  and  either  will  be  regarded  as  his  declaration  of  war 
against  the  State  of  South  Carolina." 

The  demand  of  the  Governor  upon  him  having  been  referred 
by  Major  Anderson  to  the  Government,  the  envoy  was  instructed 
to  demand  from  the  President  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  of  the 
United  States  from  Fort  Sumter  and  the  delivery  of  that  work  to 
the  State. 

The  question  of  property  was  not  to  be  allowed  to  embarrass 
the  assertion  of  the  political  right  of  the  State  to  the  possession 
of  the  fort.  That  possession  was  alone  consistent  with  the  dignity 
and  safety  of  the  State,  but  it  was  not  inconsistent  with  a  right 
to  compensation  in  money  upon  the  part  of  another  Government, 
provided  that  the  claim  of  such  Government  was  a  just  one;  but 
that  the  possession  of  Fort  Sumter  could  not  be  compensated  by 
any  consideration  of  any  kind  from  the  Government,  when  that 
possession  was  "  invasive  of  the  dignity  "  and  affected  the  safety 
of  the  State,  nor  could  it  now  become  a  matter  of  discussion  or 
negotiation.  The  envoy  was  therefore  directed  to  require  from 
the  President  a  "positive  and  distinct  answer"  to  his  demand  for 
the  delivery  of  the  fort.  He  was  authorized,  also,  to  adjust  all 
matters  susceptible  of  valuation  in  money,  upon  the  principles  of 
equity  and  justice  always  recognized  by  independent  nations. 


MESSENGERS  REACH  WASHINGTON. 


197 


The  President  was  to  be  warned  that  an  attempt  to  continue  the 
possession  of  Fort  Sumter,  would  "  inevitably  "  lead  to  a  bloody 
issue,  with  but  one  conclusion;  that  the  citizens  of  the  State 
recognized  it  as  a  duty  to  shed  their  blood  in  defense  of  their 
rights,  and  that  the  Governor  in  such  a  cause  would  feel  that  his 
obligation  to  the  State  would  "  justify  the  sacrifice  necessary  to 
secure  that  end."  And  the  letter  concludes  with  the  statement 
"  that  the  Governor  does  not  desire  to  remind  the  President  of 
the  responsibilities  which  are  upon  him." 

The  envoy  of  the  Governor,  Mr.  Hayne,  and  the  messenger 
of  Major  Anderson,  Lieutenant  Hall,  lett  at  once  for  Washing- 
ton, where  they  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  i2th  of  January. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Preparations  for  defense  actively  pushed  on — Guns  mounted — Anderson  reports 
fifty-one  guns  in  position  on  2ist  January — Heavy  Columbiads  mounted 
as  mortars  on  the  parade — Scarcity  of  material  felt — Arrangements  made 
to  receive  and  transmit  the  mails — Four  hulks  of  vessels  sunk  in  the  ship 
channel—Want  of  fresh  provisions— State  Secretary  of  War  sends  supply 
voluntarily — Provisions  returned  by  Anderson — Erroneous  statements 
made — Non  payment  of  contractor,  cause  of  interruption  of  supply — 
Deficiency  in  small-stores — Many  workmen  leave  the  fort  -Efforts  to  dis- 
satisfy those  who  remained  —Return  of  Lieutenant  Talbot  from  Washing- 
ton— Approbation  of  the  officials  encourages  the  men — Anderson's  forbear- 
ance to  fire  upon  Star  of  the  West  battery  fully  approved  by  the  President 
— Letter  of  Secretary  of  War  Holt — Not  the  purpose  of  the  Government 
to  reinforce  him  at  present  —If  necessary  they  would  be  sent  upon  his 
application — Presence  of  the  women  and  children  embarrass  the  garrison 
— Anderson  applies  for  permission  from  the  Governor  to  send  them  to  the 
North — Permission  granted— Women  and  children  depart— Relations 
between  the  Government  and  the  State  more  clearly  defined— Governor 
assembles  an  Ordnance  Board — Objections  made  Recommendations,  lines 
for  defense — Sites  for  batteries  suggested — Greatactivity  displayed  — Light- 
house at  Morris  Island  removed — Anderson's  caution  against  attempt  of 
friends  to  throw  in  supplies — Progress  of  enemy's  work  reported  by 
Captain  Foster— Anderson  reports  his  diminished  supplies — The  envoy  of 
the  Governor  opens  negotiations  with  the  Government. 

PREPARATIONS  for  the  defense  of  the  fort  were  pushed  on  vig- 
orously under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  Major  Ander- 
son himself.  The  armament  was  the  most  important  interest. 
Heavy  guns,  unmounted,  were  encumbering  the  parade.  These 
had  to  be  raised  to  the  parapet,  their  gun-carriages  refitted,  and 
the  guns  mounted  en  barbette  and  on  the  lower  tier.  The  neces- 
sary tackle  for  hoisting,  and  the  proper  implements  for  manoeuv- 
ring them  had  to  be  prepared.  The  means  and  materials  at  the 
disposition  of  the  garrison  for  this  purpose  were  limited,  and  in 
some  instances  wanting,  but  the  men  worked  under  the  proper 
officers  with  the  greatest  energy,  so  that  on  the  2ist  of  January 
Major  Anderson  was  enabled  to  report  to  his  Government  that  he 
had  then  fifty-one  guns  in  position;  twenty-four  were  en  barbette, 


GUNS  MOUNTED  IN  SUMTER. 


199 


including  six  8  inch  Columbiads  and  five  8-inch  seacoast  howitzers 
while  in  the  lower  tier  there  were  twenty-four  32  and  42  pounders 
bearing  upon  Fort  Johnson,  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  channel. 
Three  lo-inch  Columbiads  lay  upon  the  parade,  it  being  impossi- 
ble to  raise  them  to  their  proper  positions  by  any  means  at  the 
disposal  of  the  garrison.  Platforms  were  prepared,  and  these 
heavy  guns  were  mounted  by  the  5th  of  February,  as  mortars,  to 
bear  upon  Morris  Island,  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  city  of  Charles- 
ton. At  the  same  time,  four  8-inch  seacoast  howitzers  were 


HOISTING  GUNS  ON  THE  PARAPET,  FORT  SUMTER. 


planted  in  the  area  of  the  parade  of  the  work,  to  bear  upon 
Morris  Island.  A  large  number  of  8-inch  shell  were  filled  and 
friction-tubes  inserted.  Long  lanyards  were  attached  to  them. 
They  were  to  be  dropped  from  the  parapet  in  case  of  assault,  and 
exploded  by  the  firing  of  the  friction-tubes  upon  the  tension  of 
the  lanyard.  Cartridges  were  prepared  for  the  Columbiads,  and, 
owing  to  a  want  of  the  proper  material,  the  flannel  shirts  in  the 
Quartermaster's  Department  were  used  for  bags.  Every 
practical  means  to  strengthen  the  position  was  adopted.  The 


200  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

main  gate  was  reinforced  by  a  solid  wall  of  masonry,  three  feet 
in   thickness,  a  narrow  passage  being  left  for  egress   from  the 
work,  as  well  as  to  serve  as  an  embrasure  for  an  8-inch  howitzer, 
which  had  been  placed  in  position  at  the  entrance,  and  whose 
direct  fire  would  sweep  the  wharf.    Two  guns  were  mounted  out- 
side  to  the    right   and    left  of    the  sally  port,  and  lanyards  to 
fire  them  brought  inside.      Their  fire  commanded  the  base  of 
the  gorge  wall.     The  filling  up  of  the  embrasures  on  the  second 
tier  was  continued.     There  being  no  flanking  defenses,  "  Machi- 
couli    galleries "    were    made    at     the    suggestion    of    Captain 
Doubleday  and  run  out,  overhanging  the   angles  of  the   fort  to 
command  the    faces   of    the  work.      They   were   prepared    for 
musketry  fire  and   for  the  dropping  of  shells.     The  loop-holes 
for  musketry  in  the  gorge  wall  were  partially  filled  up.     From 
the  smallness  of  his  force,  and  the  fact  that  the  lower  tier  was 
the  weakest  point,  Major  Anderson  determined  to  fill  up  some 
of  the   embrasures   on   that   tier,    where   he   had  not  sufficient 
strength  to  man  his  guns,  to  close  up  by  brick  masonry  the  em- 
brasures not  needed,  and  to  reduce  the  effective  battery  on  this 
tier  to  three  guns  to  each  angle.     The  scarcity  of  necessary 
material  began  now  to  be  felt.     All  of  the  cement  and  bricks  had 
been   used  ;    the  scarcity  of  the    fuel  forbade  the   burning  of 
lime,  and  the  substitution  of  dry  stones  was  resorted  to.     The 
work  of  defense  was  pushed  on  uninterruptedly  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  able  and  energetic  engineer  officers  and  their  force, 
who  alone  mounted  all  the  guns  and  lent  their  willing  aid  and 
assistance  to  every  measure  of  defense.     The  arrangement  of  the 
disposable  force  gave  but  eight  men  only  to  each  face  and  flank, 
with  a  general  reserve  of  but  twenty  men.    By  the  i4th  of  January, 
an  arrangement  was  entered  into  in  regard  to  the  mails  for  the 
fort,  the  transmission  of  which  had  been  suspended.  An  exchange 
was  to  take  place  at  Fort  Johnson,  in  order  to  avoid  any  risk  of 
a  collision  between  the  boat's  crew  and  ill-disposed  persons  in  the 
city.     Owing  to  the  severity  of  the  weather,  the  whole  command 
were  now  quartered  in  the  officers'  quarters,  which  were   com- 
pleted. 

Early  on  the  nth  of  January  a  small  steamer  was  seen  off  the 
ship  channel  near  Morris  Island  towing  the  hulks  of  four  vessels. 
They  were  loaded  with  stone.  After  considerable  movement,  as 
if  uncertain  where  to  locate  them,  she  finally  anchored  them  in  a 


THE  QUESTION  OF  FRESH  PROVISIONS, 


2O I 


line  across  the  mouth  of  the  channel  near  the  bar  and  sank  them 
one  by  one.  This  was  to  close  the  channel  to  all  vessels.  The 
hulks  were  towed  in  from  without  the  harbor. 

The  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West  was  still  the  subject  of 
earnest  discussion  among  the  officers,  some  of  whom  thought  that, 
in  agreeing  to  await  the  return  of  the  messenger,  an  error  of 
judgment  had  been  committed,  as  the  State  would  go  on  actively 
with  her  preparations,  which  she  did.  The  communication  of 
the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  loth  of  January,  commending  the 
course  of  Major  Anderson,  had  greatly  encouraged  him  as 
well  as  his  command.  He  felt  deeply  the  perplexing  circum- 
stances under  which  he  found  himself,  and  he  reported  to 
the  Government  on  the  2pth  of  January  that  everything 
around  him  showed  it  to  be  the  determination  of  the  people 
to  bring  on  a  collision  with  the  General  Government.  No 
fresh  provisions  had  been  permitted  to  come:  to  the  fort, 
nor  was  he  allowed  to  procure  his  usual  supplies  in  Charleston. 
This  prohibition  had  been  made  the  subject  of  remonstrance  at 
Washington,  and  earnest  representation  had  been  made  by  prom- 
inent Southern  men  to  the  Governor,  who  determined,  finally, 
to  permit  the  transmission  of  such  supplies.  On  the  pth  of 
January  General  Jamison,  the  State  Secretary  of  War,  informed 
Major  Anderson  that  the  Government  had  directed  that  an  officer 
of  the  State  should  procure  and  carry  over  to  him,  with  his  mails, 
such  supplies  of  meats  and  vegetables  as  he  might  require. 

Major  Anderson  replied  that  he  was  at  a  loss  to  understand 
the  Governor's  action,  as  he  had  made  no  representation  that  he 
was  in  need  of  such  supplies;  that  the  manner  in  which  a  military 
post  was  supplied  was  prescribed  by  law;  and  if  he  was  allowed  to 
procure  his  supplies  by  contract,  as  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
doing,  and  as  it  was  his  "  right "  to  do,  he  would  go  on,  but  if  the 
permission  was  "  founded  on  courtesy  and  civility,"  he  was  com- 
pelled to  decline  it;  and  he  hopes  also  that  the  course  he  deemed 
proper  to  pursue  in  the  matter  would  allay  the  "  excitement " 
which,  he  inferred  from  the  papers,  was  growing  in  the  city. 
Meantime,  without  waiting  for  a  reply  from  Major  Anderson,  the 
Quartermaster-General  of  the  State,  in  accordance  with  the  orders 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  State,  sent  down  in  connection 
with  the  mail  on  the  morning  of  the  ipth,  a  quantity  of  "fresh 
meat  and  vegetables  to  last  dae  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  for  forty- 


202  THE  GENLSIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

eight  hours,"  informing  Major  Anderson  that  he  would  purchase 
and  take  down  every  day  such  provisions  from  the  city  market  as 
he  might  indicate.  The  boat  arrived  at  the  fort  at  noon  on  the 
2oth.  Its  arrival  and  the  sight  of  fresh  provisions  created  an  ex- 
citement among  the  men,  who  had  been  without  such  supplies 
since  the  26th  of  December.  The  provisions  were  seized  and 
borne  rapidly  to  the  kitchen,  when  the  order  of  Major  Anderson 
was  received  to  return  them  to  the  boat,  as  he  had  declined  to 
receive  them.  Without  complaint  or  hesitation  they  were  returned. 
On  the  2 1  st  Major  Anderson  reported  the  facts  to  his  Government, 
with  the  statement  that  so  many  acts  of  harshness  and  incivility 
had  occurred  since  his  removal  from  Fort  Moultrie,  which  he  had 
not  deemed  it  proper  to  notice  or  report,  that  he  could  not  accept 
of  any  civility  which  might  be  considered  as  a  favor  or  an  act  of 
charity. 

On  the  2ist  General  Jamison  replied  that  "the  Governor  was 
influenced  solely  by  considerations  of  courtesy;"  that  if  he  had 
no  other  reasons  he  would  have  been  moved  by  prudential. reasons 
for  the  safety  of  Major  Anderson's  "people"  in  preventing  a  col- 
lision; that  the  Governor  was  indifferent  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  supplies  were  procured,  provided  that  they  were  carried  over 
under  an  officer  of  the  State.  On  the  24th  a  letter  was  accordingly 
written,  by  Major  Anderson's  direction,  to  the  former  contractor, 
renewing  the  terms  of  the  old  contract  and  requesting  that  it 
should  go  at  once  into  effect,  and  specifying  at  the  same  time  the 
supplies  that  he  required.  Time  passed  and  the  contractor  made 
no  reply;  and  Major  Anderson  in  his  report  to  the  Government  of 
the  3istof  January  presumed  that  the  contractor  dared  not  send 
any  provisions  for  fear  that  he  would  be  "  regarded  as  a  traitor  to 
South  Carolina  for  furnishing  comfort  and  aid  to  her  enemies." 

On  that  day,  however,  Major  Anderson  had  renewed  his  appli- 
cation through  a  member  of  the  Convention,  Mr.  Gourdin,  who 
informed  him  that  the  Governor  was  desirous  that  he  should  receive 
the  supplies  regularly,  "  and  thought  that  there  could  be  no  diffi- 
culty in  reference  to  groceries  also." 

The  action  of  Major  Anderson  was  largely  influenced  by 
erroneous  statements  made  in  regard  to  his  being  daily  in  receipt 
of  these  supplies.  The  principal  journal  in  Charleston  had  pub- 
lished a  statement  on  the  ipth  of  January  that  provisions  were 
daily  sent  to  the  fort,  and  in  his  reply  to  the  Southern  Senators 


CONTRACT  FOR  FRESH  PROVISIONS  RENEWED. 


in  Washington  who,  on  the  isth  of  January,  had  addressed  to 
Colonel  Hayne  a  letter  suggesting  that  Major  Anderson  should 
be  allowed  to  obtain  these  supplies,  he  had  answered:  "  Major 
Anderson  and  his  command,  let  me  assure  you,  do  now  obtain  all 
necessary  supplies  of  food  (including  fresh  meat  and  vegetables), 
and  I  believe  fuel  and  water." 

In  his  report  of  the  27th  of  January  to  his  Government,  Major 
Anderson  referred  to  the  "  false  reports  "  originating  "  in  Charles- 
ton and  elsewhere  "  about  him,  and  that  it  was  "  apparent  enough" 
that  the  object  of  one  of  them  —  which  was  that  he  was  getting 
fresh  provisions  from  the  Charleston  market  —  was  to  show  that 
they  were  treating  him  courteously,  "  which  was  not  a  fact,"  and 
that  up  to  that  moment  "  he  had  not  derived  the  least  advantage 
from  the  Charleston  markets." 

The  reason  for  the  action  of  the  contractor  was  simply  that  he 
had  not  been  paid  for  seven  months.  His  account  was  at  that  time 
over  $500,  and  he  feared,  from  the  condition  of  things,  that 
all  relations  between  the  fort  and  the  city  might  be  at  any 
moment  interrupted  and  his  money  lost.  Lieutenant  Hall 
had  returned  from  Washington,  neglecting  to  bring  with  him 
a  treasury  draft  for  his  Department.  The  contractor  was  after- 
ward paid,  when  he  renewed  his  contract  and  resumed  his  dealings 
with  the  fort. 

The  result  of  the  hasty  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  began 
already  to  show  itself  in  the  deficiencies  in  the  small  stores. 
Upon  the  departure  of  Lieutenant  Hall  to  Washington  the  writer  was 
directed  to  assume  the  duties  of  quartermaster  and  commissary 
of  the  post  temporarily,  during  the  absence  of  that  officer.  An 
inspection  and  inventory  of  the  stores  on  hand  on  the  isth  of 
January  showed  a  limited  supply  of  some  of  the  articles  of  the 
ration,  that  instead  of  a  six  months'  supply  there  was  scarcely 
four,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  place  the  command  upon 
half-rations  of  coffee  and  sugar,  and  to  deprive  the  officers 
temporarily  altogether.  There  were  neither  candles  nor  soap  for 
issue,  and  but  half  a  barrel  of  salt,  and  the  batteries  and  guard 
were  lighted  by  using  the  oil  of  the  light-house,  in  bowls  in  which 
wicking  was  placed  and  a  taper  made. 

Strict  guards  were  placed  over  the  batteries,  which  were 
examined  at  every  relief  during  the  night  under  the  immediate 
direction  of  the  officer  of  the  day.  The  workmen  of  the  Engineer 


2O4  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIFIL  WAR. 

Department  were  affected  by  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the 
West  and  the  fear  of  an  approaching  conflict,  and  many  left, 
largely  reducing  the  force.  This,  however,  did  not  continue,  and 
forty-three  remained,  working  with  alacrity  at  any  work  required 
of  them,  almost  exclusively  mounting  all  of  the  guns  and  remain- 
ing faithful  and  enthusiastic  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty  till  the 
last.  Efforts  were  made  to  dissatisfy  them,  as  well  as  the 
soldiers,  whenever  opportunity  offered  ;  and  various  reports,  many 
of  them  wholly  without  foundation,  were  published  and  circulated. 
It  was  reported  that  the  men  were  retained  in  Fort  Sumter  by 
force,  and  had  attempted  to  escape  from  the  windows  ;  it  was  also 
reported  that  a  boat  from  Fort  Sumter,  in  making  a  reconnoissance 
of  a  battery  on  Morris  Island,  had  been  fired  into  and  one  man 
wounded.  On  the  ipth  Lieutenant  Davis,  who  had  gone  to  town 
in  charge  of  four  enlisted  men  who  had  been  summoned  by  the 
civil  court  as  witnesses,  was  informed  that  his  men  had  become 
seditious  and  were  threatening  him,  and  that  he  ought  to  arm 
himself,  as  the  men  intended  to  desert.  Arms  were  offered  to 
Lieutenant  Davis,  which  he  declined.  On  the  ayth,  the  men  who 
went  for  the  mail  to  Fort  Johnson,  in  pursuance  of  the  arrange- 
ment made,  were  rudely  treated,  nothing  but  the  mail  was  allowed 
to  go,  and  a  small  quantity  of  tobacco  which  had  been  bought 
with  money  sent  by  the  foreman  was  taken  away,  and  no  com- 
munication with  the  men  allowed.  Inside,  the  work  rapidly  pro- 
gressed. As  the  heavier  guns  were  mounted,  experimental  firing 
to  determine  the  range  was  commenced,  and  continued  from  time 
to  time  with  satisfactory  results.  The  men  of  the  command  and 
the  workmen  had  been  lodged  in  the  completed  officers'  quarters, 
and  were  thus  protected  from  the  constant  rain  and  fogs  that  pre- 
vailed during  the  month  of  January,  and  which  permitted  the 
necessary  work  to  go  on  without  observation. 

Meantime,  Lieutenant  Talbot,  who  after  the  firing  upon  the 
Star  of  the  West  had  been  sent  to  Washington  by  Major  Ander- 
son, returned  to  the  fort  on  the  ipth  of  January,  bringing  des- 
patches to  Major  Anderson  and  to  Governor  Pickens.  The  news 
that  he  brought  was  greatly  encouraging  to  the  garrison  :  Major 
Anderson's  course  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the 
Cabinet,  and  by  Union  men  generally.  The  different  departments 
all  applauded  the  course  taken  by  Major  Anderson,  and  the 
administration  would  support  him. 


LETTER  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 
The  following  is  the  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  War: 


205 


"WAR  DEPARTMENT,  January  16,  1861. 
"  MAJOR  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"  First  Artillery,  Commanding  Fort  Sumter. 

"  Sir:  Your  dispatch  No.  17,  covering  your  correspondence 
with  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  has  been  received  from  the 
hand  of  Lieutenant  Talbot.  You  rightly  designate  the  firing  into 
the  Star  of  the  West  as  "  an  act  of  war,"  and  one  which  was 
actually  committed  without  the  slightest  provocation.  Had  their 
act  been  perpetrated  by  a  foreign  nation,  it  would  have  been  your 
imperative  duty  to  have  resented  it  with  the  whole  force  of  your 
batteries.  As,  however,  it  was  the  work  of  the  Government  of 
South  Carolina,  which  is  a  member  of  this  confederacy,  and  was 
prompted  by  the  passions  of  a  highly-inflamed  population  of  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States,  your  forbearance  to  return  the  fire  is 
fully  approved  by  the  President.  Unfortunately,  the  Government 
had  not  been  able  to  make  known  to  you  that  the  Star  of  the 
West  had  sailed  from  New  York  for  your  relief,  and  hence,  when 
she  made  her  appearance  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  you  did  not 
feel  the  force  of  the  obligation  to  protect  her  approach  as  you 
would  naturally  have  done  had  this  information  reached  you. 

"  Your  late  dispatches,  as  well  as  the  very  intelligent  state- 
ment of  Lieutenant  Talbot,  have  relieved  the  Government  of  the 
apprehensions  recently  entertained  for  your  safety.  In  conse- 
quence, it  is  not  its  purpose  at  present  to  re-enforce  you.  The 
attempt  to  do  so  would,  no  doubt,  be  attended  by  a  collision  of 
arms  and  the  effusion  of  blood— a  national  calamity  which  the 
President  is  most  anxious,  if  possible,  to  avoid.  You  will,  there- 
fore, report  frequently  your  condition,  and  the  character  and 
activity  of  the  preparations,  if  any,  which  may  be  being  made  for 
an  attack  upon  the  fort,  or  for  obstructing  the  Government  in  any 
endeavors  it  may  make  to  strengthen  your  command. 

"  Should  your  dispatches  be  of  a  nature  too  important  to  be 
intrusted  to  the  mails,  you  will  convey  them  by  special  messen- 
gers. Whenever,  in  your  judgment,  additional  supplies  or  re-en- 
forcements are  necessary  for  your  safety,  or  for  a  successful 
defense  of  the  fort,  you  w:ll  at  once  communicate  the  fact  to  this 
Department,  and  a  prompt  and  vigorous  effort  will  be  made  to 
forward  them. 

"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  HOLT." 

In  regard  to  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West,  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  in  his  despatch  of  the  i6th  of  January,  informs 
Major  Anderson  that  the  Government  had  not  been  able  to  make 
known  to  him  that  the  Star  of  the  West  had  sailed  to  his  relief, 
and  that  in  consequence  he  had  not  felt  "  the  force  of  the  obliga- 


2O6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

tion  to  protect  her  approach"  as  he  would  otherwise  have  done; 
that  the  firing  upon  her  was  an  act  of  war,  committed  without  the 
slightest  provocation,  and  had  it  been  committed  by  a  foreign 
nation  his  imperative  duty  would  have  required  him  to  resent  it 
with  the  whole  force  of  his  batteries.  As  it  was,  however,  "  the 
work  of  the  Government  of  South  Carolina,  which  is  a  member  of 
this  Confederacy,"  and  prompted  by  passions  of  American  citi- 
zens, the  Secretary  informed  him  that  his  forbearance  to  return 
the  fire  is  fully  approved  by  the  President. 

He  also  says  that  his  late  despatches  had  greatly  relieved  the 
Government  of  their  apprehensions  for  his  safety.  "  In  conse- 
quence," he  says,  "  it  is  not  their  purpose  at  present  to  reinforce 
you;  that  the  attempt  would  be  attended  with  bloodshed — a 
national  calamity  which  the  President  was  most  anxious,  if  possible, 
to  avoid.  He  was  to  report  his  condition  frequently,  and  also  the 
character  and  activity  of  the  preparations  about  him  to  attack  the 
fort  or  to  obstruct  the  Government  in  its  endeavors  to  strengthen 
him."  And  he  concludes  his  despatch  by  assuring  Major  Ander- 
son that  whenever,  in  his  judgment,  additional  supplies  or  rein- 
forcements should  be  necessary  for  his  safety,  or  for  a  successful 
defense  of  the  fort,  he  should  at  once  communicate  the  fact, 
"  and  a  prompt  and  vigorous  effort  will  be  made  to  forward  them." 
The  reception  of  this  despatch  greatly  sustained  and  encouraged 
the  garrison.  Besides  the  despatch  of  January  10,  from  the  same 
authority,  it  was  the  only  indorsement  the  garrison  had  received 
that  their  course  was  approved  by  the  Department,  and  anything 
like  definite  instructions  as  to  the  future  furnished  for  their  guid- 
ance. This,  in  connection  with  the  sentiments  of  Lieutenant- 
General  Scott,  which  were  announced  to  the  men  at  parade,  and 
which  were  received  with  enthusiasm  by  them,  greatly  encouraged 
the  garrison,  who  renewed  their  work  with  increased  energy  and 
vigor. 

The  presence  of  so  large  a  number  of  women  and  children, 
besides  drawing  largely  upon  his  supplies,  embarrassed  Major 
Anderson  in  carrying  on  the  defensive  preparation  of  his  work; 
and  in  view  of  possible  hostilities,  he  determined  to  send  them 
to  the  North.  Accordingly,  on  the  ipth  of  January,  in  a  com- 
munication to  General  Jamison,  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the 
State,  he  asks  that,  as  an  act  of  humanity  and  great  kindness,  the 
Governor  would  permit  a  New  York  steamer  to  transport  the 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN. 

women  and  children  of  his  garrison  to  New  York,  that  he  could  not 
furnish  them  with  proper  food,  and  that  it  was  an  indulgence 
always  granted  "  even  during  a  siege,  in  time  of  actual  war."  The 
Governor  at  once  expressed  his  willingness,  and  offered  every 
facility  in  his  power  to  enable  Major  Anderson  to  remove  them 
from  the  fort.  An  agent  of  the  New  York  line  of  steamers  was 
permitted  to  come  to  Fort  Sumter,  with  whom  arrangements  were 
concluded,  and  on  the  ist  of  February,  forty-two  women  and 
children  were  embarked  upon  a  lighter  and  left  the  fort  for  the 
steamer. 

At  noon  on  the  3d  the  steamer  passed  under  the  guns  of  the 
fort  on  her  way  northward.  The  men  had  crowded  to  the  parapet, 
and  with  the  consent  of  Major  Anderson  one  gun  was  fired  as  the 
vessel  passed — amid  the  loud  cheers  of  the  men — which  was  an- 
swered from  the  steamer.  The  number  of  women  sent  on  was  much 
larger  than  the  legal  allowance,  but  Major  Anderson  thought  that 
under  the  present  excited  state  of  feeling  towards  his  command,  it 
would  not  do  to  send  to  the  city  or  to  Sullivan's  Island  any  of  the 
soldiers'  wives  or  their  relatives  who  had  been  living  with  them.  The 
men  lingered  upon  the  parapet  until  the  vessel  was  lost  to  view  on 
the  horizon,  and  all  felt  that  the  departure  of  their  women  and 
children,  while  relieving  the  garrison  from  embarrassment  and 
responsibility,  did  not  the  less  clearly  define  to  them  their  own 
position. 

While  within  the  fort  the  work  of  defense  was  carried  on 
steadily  and  with  energy,  the  authorities  and  troops  of  the  State 
were  no  less  active,  and  works  for  the  defense  of  the  harbor,  as 
well  as  for  the  ultimate  reduction  of  Fort  Sumter,  were  begun,  and 
pushed  forward  with  the  greatest  industry  and  vigor.  The  means 
at  their  command  were  crude  and  inappropriate  at  this  early 
period,  their  officers  and  men  inexperienced  and  new,  and  often 
differing  widely  in  their  views,  but  they  worked  with  an  enthusiasm 
and  unanimity  of  purpose  that  largely  compensated  for  many 
deficiencies  and  amply  sustained  them  in  their  purpose  until  the 
last. 

The  retention  of  Major  Anderson  and  his  command  at  Fort 
Sumter  by  the  Government,  its  attempt  to  reinforce  and  provision 
him,  and  the  open  repulse  of  that  attempt  had  more  clearly 
defined  the  relation  existing  between  the  Government  and  the 
State.  The  one  determined  to  hold  the  fort  as  its  property  and 


208  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  maintain  the  garrison;  the  other  claimed  its  possession  as  a 
right  arising  from  its  new  political  position,  and  demanded  its  sur- 
render, and  it  prepared  to  assert  that  right  by  force.  Upon  the 
9th  of  January,  the  day  upon  which  the  Star  of  the  West  was 
fired  upon,  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  addressed  a  communi- 
cation to  three  engineer  officers*  directing  them  to  come  together 
immediately  to  consider  and  report  upon  the  most  favorable 
plan  for  operating  upon  Fort  Sumter,  so  as  to  reduce  it,  by  bat- 
teries or  other  means,  and  they  were  to  include  Colonel  Mani- 
gault,  the  State  Ordnance  officer,  in  their  consultation. 


MOUNTING  GUNS  WITH  THE  GIN. 

This  military  board,  or  Ordnance  Board,  exercised  more  or 
less  control  over  military  operations.  They  objected  to  the  firing 
upon  the  Star  of  tJte  West,  as  they  had  also  done  to  the  occu- 
pancy of  the  forts  on  the  zyth  of  December,  f 

The  persons  designated  met  promptly,  and  upon  the  following 
date  reported  to  the  Governor  that  they  were  decidedly  and 
unanimously  of  the  opinion  "  that  surprise,  assault  or  stratagem 

*  Colonels  Walter  Gwynn,  White  and  Trapier. 

fOrdnance  Board:  General  James  Jones,  General  Gab.  Manigault, General 
Jamison,  Major  Walter  Gwynn,  Thos.  F.  Dayton. 


PLANS  FOR  REDUCING  FORT  SUMTER.  2OQ 

were  not  to  be  depended  upon,  as  uncertain  in  their  results  and 
involving  much  probable  sacrifice  of  life,  and  that  their  depend- 
ence and  sole  reliance  must  be  upon  batteries  of  heavy  ord- 
nance "  until  "  an  incessant  bombardment  and  cannonade  "  had 
made  such  an  impression  that  an  assault  would  be  easy,  and  they 
submitted  the  following  plan  :  that  the  dismantled  battery  "  at 
Fort  Moultrie  should  be  restored,  and  protected  by  merlons  and 
made  an  embrasure  battery;"  that  mortar  batteries  should  be 
erected  at  a  point  west  of  Fort  Moultrie  on  Sullivan's  Island  nearest 
to  Fort  Sumter  ;  and  that  at  Fort  Johnson  and  Cummings  Point 
a  battery  of  three  8-inch  Columbiads  should  also  be  established. 
As  germain  to  the  plan  of  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter,  they 
recommend  the  erection  forthwith  of  "a  gun-battery  of  heavy 
guns"  at  1,400  yards  east  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  command  the 
Maffit  Channel,  and  which,  by  blocking  up  all  the  other  channels 
to  the  city,  could  be  defended  in  case  of  failure  in  their  attack 
upon  Fort  Sumter  and  the  destruction  of  Fort  Moultrie,  and 
enable  them  to  get  possession  of  Fort  Sumter  by  "  the  slow  (but 
sure)  process  of  starvation."  The  plan  was  approved,  and  prep- 
arations immediately  made  and  continued  to  carry  it  into  effect. 
Whatever  of  hesitancy  or  uncertainty  may  have  prevailed  before 
the  Star  of  the  West  was  fired  upon,  there  was  no  illusion  as  to 
the  purpose  of  the  State  after  that  event  had  occurred.  The  prep- 
arations for  defense  and  for  the  reduction  of  the  fort  were  carried 
on  openly  and  without  disguise,  and  the  garrison  witnessed,  from 
day  to  day,  the  gradual  construction  of  works  intended  to  close 
the  harbor  to  all  relief  to  them  and  to  be  used  in  their  destruction. 
On  every  side  there  was  the  greatest  activity  manifested. 
Steamers  laden  with  troops  and  munitions  and  material  of  war 
were  passing  and  repassing  by  day  and  night.  Large  bodies  of 
negroes  were  employed  without  interruption  in  constructing  the 
new  works  and  in  repairing  and  strengthening  the  old.  Signalling 
between  the  town,  the  forts  and  the  vessels  was  in  constant  prac- 
tice. At  daylight  on  the  i2th  it  was  discovered  that  the  parapet 
of  Fort  Moultrie  had  been  lined  with  merlons  during  the  previous 
night.  Three  large  traverses  were  subsequently  erected  on  the 
sea  front,  and  one  begun  by  our  own  engineers  was  enlarged,  and 
solid  merlons,  formed  of  timber,  sand-bags  and  earth  were 
raised  between  all  the  guns  that  bore  on  Fort  Sumter,  as  well  as 
others,  to  protect  the  guns  on  the  sea  front  from  an  enfilading 


21O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

fire.  These  merlons  were  run  up  solidly  to  the  height  of  five 
feet,  and  completely  covered  the  quarters  and  barracks  of  Fort 
Moultrie  to  the  eaves.  The  guns  dismounted  by  the  burning  of 
the  gun-carriages  upon  the  abandonment  of  the  fort  by  Major 
Anderson  were  all  remounted  by  the  27th  of  January.  Rapid 
progress  was  made  upon  the  battery  at  Cummings  Point.  A 
large  quantity  of  material  was  landed,  and  a  strong  force  of  work- 
men kept  constantly  employed.  Heavy  guns  were  landed,  and 
although  from  the  isolated  position  of  Fort  Sumter  it  was  impos- 
sible to  determine  with  positive  accuracy  the  exact  nature  of  the 
work  going  on  around  it,  it  was  yet  evident  that  every  energy  was 
being  brought  to  bear  upon  the  construction  of  their  batteries  in 
preparation  for  an  attack  upon  and  the  reduction  of  the  fort. 
Work  was  often  carried  on  by  night,  and  heavy  timbers,  formed 
into  rafts,  floated  down  and  stranded  near  the  sites  of  the  batteries 
begun. 

On  the  1 5th  the  Fresnel  light  and  the  light-house  on  Morris 
Island  were  taken  down,  and  the  strictest  watch  kept  upon  vessels 
attempting  to  enter  the  harbor.  A  steamer,  thought  to  be  of  the 
New  York  line,  in  coming  in  on  the  morning  of  the  1 2th,  had  a  shot 
fired  across  her  bow,  when  she  ran  up  the  Palmetto  flag  and  was 
allowed  to  pass. 

On  the  1 8th  of  January  the  Executive  Council  determined 
upon  the  construction  of  a  "  floating  battery,"  and  for  which  $1,200 
was  appropriated  and  the  work  at  once  begun.  The  public 
press  seemed  determined  to  maintain  a  hostile  feeling  and  to 
bring  on  a  collision  with  the  Government.  A  feverish  expectation 
that  reinforcements  would  again  be  sent  seemed  to  pervade  the 
community,  while  within  the  fort  a  feeling  prevailed  that  an  attack 
upon  it  was  inevitable.  On  the  2pth  firing  from  the  batteries  on 
Morris  Island  took  place.  Rockets  were  sent  up,  and  answered 
from  the  steamers.  The  guard-boats  came  in  from  outside,  with 
two  tugs  from  the  bar,  and  after  midnight  two  guns  were  fired 
from  Moultrie.  It  was  supposed  by  those  in  the  fort  that  a 
steamer  was  approaching.  No  vessel  could  be  seen.  In  reporting 
the  circumstances  to  his  Government,  Major  Anderson,  whose 
anxiety  had  been  clearly  manifested,  says  that  he  hopes  no  effort 
would  be  made  by  friends  to  throw  supplies  in,  and  that  their 
doing  so  would  do  more  harm  than  good. 

So  closely  was  the  work  upon  Fort  Moultrie  watched  by  the 


CHIEF  ENGINEER  RE  FOR  TS  ENEM  Y>S  BA  TTERIES.    2  I  I 

engineer  officer,  that  he  was  enabled  from  his  observations  to 
criticize  the  construction.  He  reported  to  his  chief  on  the  2ist  of 
January,  in  a  general  summary  of  the  work  going  on,  that  he 
thought  the  timber  cheeks  to  the  embrasures  at  Fort  Moultrie,  set 
on  end  like  pallisades,  were  "  objectionable  ";  that  "the  exterior 
slope  of  the  merlons  is  too  great  to  resist  the  pressure  of  the  earth, 
and  that  the  sand-bags  are  pressed  out  in  one  or  two  places." 

Of  the  battery  at  the  east  end  of  Sullivan's  Island,  nothing 
could  be  reported,  as  it  was  beyond  the  reach  of  our  glasses  and 
shielded  from  our  fire.  The  existence  of  an  additional  battery, 
said  to  contain  guns  or  mortars  and  located  about  300  yards 
west  of  Fort  Moultrie,  was  reported,  but  being  masked  by  houses 
and  fences,  could  not  be  seen  sufficiently  to  be  described  accu- 
rately. 

Two  batteries  at  Fort  Johnson  were  established,  one  for  three 
guns  and  the  other  for  the  same  number  of  mortars.  The  battery 
on  Morris  Island,  which  fired  upon  the  Star  of  the  West  and 
which  now  mounted  four  guns,  was  also  reported,  as  well  as  the 
progress  made  upon  the  formidable  battery  in  construction  upon 
Cummings  Point,  and  upon  which  a  powerful  fire  from  Fort  Sum- 
ter  from  four  8-inch  Columbiads,  three  42-pounders,  one  8-inch 
seacoast  howitzer  and  six  24-pounders  en  barbette  and  two 
3  2 -pounders  in  the  lower  tier  could  be  brought  to  bear. 

On  the  3ist  of  January,  a  further  report  of  the  work  done 
around  the  fort  was  made  by  the  same  officer,  who  stated  that  "  the 
batteries  on  the  island  above  Fort  Moultrie  are  two  in  number. 
The  first  is  only  a  short  distance  above  the  Moultrie  House,  and 
about  1,460  yards  above  Fort  Moultrie.  It  is  armed  with  three 
guns,  either  24-pounders  or  32-pounders.  It  is  not  in  sight  of 
this  fort.  Its  position  is  opposite  that  portion  of  the  Maffit  Channel 
which  comes  closest  to  the  island.  The  second  battery  is  at  the 
upper  or  east  end  of  the  island  and  is  armed  with  two  guns,  24  or 
32  pounders.  The  last  information  from  the  island  gave  the 
number  of  men  there  as  1,450." 

A  failure  to  comply  with  his  instructions  in  regard  to  the  pro- 
visions had  resulted  in  a  deficiency  of  small-stores,  and  on  the 
27th  of  January,  Major  Anderson  reported  to  the  Government 
that  his  supplies  now  consisted  of  38  bbls.  pork,  37  bbls.  flour,  13 
bbls.  hard-bread,  2  bbls.  beans,  i  bbl.  coffee,  YZ  bbl.  sugar,  3 
bbls.  vinegar,  10  Ibs.  candles,  40  Ibs.  soap,  Y*  bbl.  salt. 


2  I  2  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  envoy  of  the  Governor  had  meanwhile  arrived  in  Wash- 
ington and  opened  negotiations  with  the  Government,  but  as  far 
as  could  be  determined  from  our  position,  there  was  no  interrup- 
tion whatever  in  the  prosecution  of  the  works  undertaken  by 
the  State. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Secretary  of  War  J.  B.  Floyd — His  relations  to  the  President — His  early  posi- 
tion —Sympathy  with  the  South — The  De  Groot  claim — Action  of  the  Sec- 
retary— Claim  refused — Abstraction  of  the  Indian  Trust  bonds — Substitu- 
tion for  them  of  bills  drawn  on  Secretary  of  War — Violation  of  the  law — 
House  of  Representatives  appoints  a  committee  to  investigate  and  report, 
at  instance  of  Secretary  of  Interior — Exonerates  that  officer—  Secretary  of 
War  implicated — President  requests  his  resignation — Resigns  on  2gth 
December — Previous  order  of  Secretary  to  transfer  heavy  ordnance  to 
Southern  forts  yet  unfinished — Excitement  in  Pittsburg,  Pa. — President 
notified — Countermands  the  order — Transfer  of  small-arms  to  the  South  in 
1859 — Investigation  by  House  of  Representatives — Committee  on  Military 
Affairs  relieve  him  from  any  criminal  intent — Secretary  of  War,  upon 
return  to  Richmond,  claims  credit  for  the  act — Subsequent  appointment 
in  the  Confederate  army. 

IN  order  to  a  full  and  just  understanding  of  the  course  pur- 
sued by  the  Secretary  of  War,  Governor  Floyd,  at  this  juncture, 
his  relations  to  the  President,  and  his  final  action,  a  resume  of  his 
connection  with  these  events  is  necessary. 

The  President  had  not  known  Governor  Floyd  personally 
before  tendering  to  him  a  position  in  his  Cabinet.  He  had, 
like  his  father,  been  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  the  fact  that  he 
had  declined  a  recommendation  from  the  Electoral  College  of 
Virginia,  urging  him  for  a  position  in  the  Cabinet,  believing  as  he 
did,  that  the  President  should  be  left  free  in  his  choice,  brought 
him  under  the  favorable  notice  of  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  appointed 
him  Secretary  of  War.  He  was  at  this  time,  and  up  to  nearly  the 
close  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration,  an  avowed  Union  man 
and  a  "  consistent  opponent  of  secession."  He  had  supported 
the  President  in  his  determination  not  to  send  reinforcements  to 
Charleston  Harbor,  and  he  was  resolved,  as  far  as  it  lay  in  his  own 
power,  to  maintain  the  existing  status  in  the  harbor  until  an  effort 
at  negotiation  should  have  been  fairly  tried.  He  thought  seces- 
sion unnecessary,  but  recognized  it  as  a  right  of  the  State,  and 
he  fully  sympathized  with  the  South  in  whatever  action  she  might 
see  fit  to  take,  while  at  the  same  time  he  was  ever  opposed 

913 


2  14  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  coercion.  His  position  at  the  head  of  the  War  Department 
gave  him  especial  prominence  as  the  events  developed  themselves 
and  daily  became  more  threatening.  But  developments  of 
another  nature  began  to  be  known,  which  very  seriously  affected 
the  character  of  the  Secretary,  and  largely  altered  his  relations  to 
the  President.  In  the  early  autumn  of  the  year  1860,  and  before 
the  return  of  the  President  to  Washington,  a  large  claim  had 
been  presented  to  the  War  Department  by  one  De  Groot. 
The  Secretary  was  anxious  that  this  claim  should  be  paid.  The 
papers  had  been  presented  at  the  Treasury  Department,  but  upon 
examination  the  Secretary,  Mr.  Cobb,  determined  to  suspend  the 
payment  until  the  return  of  the  President  to  Washington.  Upon 
his  return,  the  papers  were  sent  by  his  direction  to  the  Attorney- 
General,  Judge  Black,  and  while  in  his  hands,  he  was  called  upon 
at  his  office  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  The  claim  was  refused. 
The  confidence  of  the  President  in  his  Secretary  had  been  shaken; 
but  while  he  believed  that  he  was  without  judgment  in  financial 
matters,  or  ability  to  manage  them,  he  was  not  wanting  in  per- 
sonal integrity.  But  shortly  afterwards,  an  exposure  was  made 
of  a  serious  fraud  occurring  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior  directly,  and  involving  the  personal  character  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War.  It  was  reported  to  the  President  on  the  night  of 
the  2zd  of  December,  that  eight  hundred  State  bonds  for  $1,000 
each,  which  had  been  held  in  trust  by  the  Government  for  differ- 
ent Indian  tribes,  had  been  removed  from  the  safe  in  the  office 
of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  and  had  been  delivered  by 
Goddard  Bailey,  the  clerk  in  charge  of  them,  to  William  H. 
Russell,  of  the  firm  of  Russell,  Majors  &  Waddell.  Bailey  had, 
from  time  to  time,  received  from  Russell  bills  corresponding  in 
amount  to  the  bonds  abstracted,  and  which  he  had  substituted 
for  them  in  the  safe  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
transferring  the  bonds  to  Russell. 

These  bills  were  drawn  by  the  firm  of  Russell,  Majors  & 
Waddell  on  John  B.  Floyd,  Secretary  of  War.  They  had  been 
drawn  in  anticipation  and  accepted  in  violation  of  the  law.  The 
acceptances  were  thirteen  in  number,  and  it  was  remarked  "  that 
the  last  of  them,  dated  on  the  i3th  of  December,  1860,  for  $135,- 
ooo,  had  been  drawn  for  the  precise  sum  necessary  to  make  the 
aggregate  amount  of  the  whole  number  of  bills  exactly  equal  to 
that  of  the  abstracted  bonds."  This  exposure  produced  a  pro- 


PRES.  REQUESTS  RESIGNATION  OF  SEC.  OF  WAR. 


215 


found  effect  in  the  country.  A  commission  "  to  investigate  and 
report"  upon  the  subject  was  appointed  by  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives, at  the  instance  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Mr. 
Thompson,  who  in  their  report  of  the  i2th  of  February,  1861, 
wholly  exonerated  that  officer  by  a  declaration  that  they  had  dis- 
covered "nothing"  to  indicate  that  he  had  any  complicity  in  the 
transaction  "  or  knowledge  of  it,  or  anything  to  involve  him  in 
the  slightest  degree  in  the  fraud."  In  pursuing  their  investiga- 
tion the  Commissioners  had  summoned  before  them  for  examina- 
tion as  witnesses  both  Wm.  H.  Russell  and  John  B.  Floyd.  An 
act  of  Congress  had  provided  that  a  witness  examined  before  a 
committee  of  either  House,  should  not  be  held  "  to  answer  crim- 
inally in  any  court  of  justice  for  any  fact  or  act"  touching  which 
he  shall  have  testified. 

The  action  of  the  Committee  thus  prevented  any  further  in- 
vestigation of  a  judicial  character,  but  the  connection  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  with  this  "  fraudulent  transaction  "  concentrated 
upon  him  so  much  of  public  feeling  that  the  President  deter- 
mined to  remove  him  from  his  Cabinet.  Sending  for  his  Secre- 
tary of  State,  Judge  Black,  he  mentioned  to  him  his  determina- 
tion, and  requested  him  to  see  the  Secretary  of  War  and  ask  him 
to  tender  his  resignation.  This  the  Secretary  of  State  declined 
to  do;  while  stating  to  the  President  his  willingness  to  do  all  that 
lay  in  the  line  of  his  duty,  he  considered  that  this  was  a  matter 
so  entirely  between  the  President  and  his  Secretary  of  War  alone, 
that  he  preferred  not  to  interfere.  In  this  the  President  acqui- 
esced, saying  that  he  would  "  find  some  one."*  Shortly  afterward  he 
sought  the  Vice-President,  Mr.  Breckenridge,  who  was  a  kinsman 
of  Secretary  Floyd,  and  communicated  to  him  his  wishes.  The 
Secretary  had  entertained  at  the  time  no  thought  of  resigning, 
and  he  so  stated  to  the  Vice-President,  qualifying  his  statement 
at  the  same  time  that  he  would  only  resign  in  case  the  President 
should  express  such  a  wish.  "  The  President  does  wish  it,"  re- 
plied Mr.  Breckenridge.;  "  But  that  cannot  be,"  said  the  Secre- 
tary, "for  he  has  not  soj- intimated  to  me."  "He  has  requested 
me  to  say  so  to  you,"  said  the  Vice-President,  who  then  informed 
the  Secretary  that  in  case  he  should  not  resign  he  would  be  re- 
moved. The  Secretary  then  stated  that  he  would  resign  his  office. 


Judge  Black  to  writer, 


2  1 6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

But  he  did  not  resign  at  that  time,  although  the  President  con- 
sidered him  as  virtually  out  of  his  Cabinet  as  he  was  and  had 
been  for  any  purpose  of  advice  or  counsel,  although  he  presented 
himself  at  the  Cabinet  meetings  so  constantly  held  at  the  time 
that  the  South  Carolina  Commissioners  were  in  Washington,  and 
Anderson  had  made  his  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter.  On  the  29th  of  December  the  formal  resignation  of  his 
office  was  sent  to  the  President.  It  was  immediately  accepted 
without  reference  to  the  offer  of  the  Secretary  to  continue  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  until  his  successor  could  be  appointed, 
and  he  left  the  Cabinet,  giving  way  to  the  Postmaster-General, 
Holt,  who  was  appointed  Secretary  of  War,  ad  interim. 

On  the  2oth  of  December,  the  day  upon  which  the  Ordinance 
of  Secession  was  passed  by  the  Convention  of  South  Carolina, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of  the 
President,  directed  the  Chief  of  the  Ordnance  Bureau,  Captain 
Maynadier,  to  forward  to  the  forts  on  Ship  Island  and  at  Galves- 
ton  the  heavy  .guns  necessary  to  their  armament.  The  usual  form 
in  transmitting  orders  in  such  case  was  not  observed,  and  the 
order  was  given  verbally  and  was  not  recorded.  It  was  in  every 
way  premature,  for  the  forts  were  in  no  condition  to  receive  their 
armament. 

The  order  of  the  Secretary  was  obeyed  by  Captain  Maynadier, 
who  in  his  letter  of  the  3d  of  February,  1862,  to  the  Council  of 
Representatives,  stated  that  it  never  entered  into  his  mind  "  that 
there  could  be  any  improper  motive  or  object  in  the  order,"  as 
the  Secretary  "  was  then  regarded  throughout  the  country  as  a 
strong  advocate  of  the  Union,  and  an  opponent  of  secession." 
In  accordance  with  the  order,  and  under  the  regular  routine  of 
the  service,  towards  the  close  of  December  the  armament  was 
made  ready  for  shipment  on  board  of  the  Silver  Wave,  then 
awaiting  the  transfer.  The  Engineer  Department  had  informed 
the  Chief  of  Ordnance  that  the  number  and  character  of  the  guns 
required  was  113  Columbiads  and  eleven  32-pounders.  The  news 
of  the  order  that  a  number  of  the  large  guns  at  their  foundry 
were  about  to  be  sent  South,  soon  spread  among  the  community 
of  Pittsburg,  and  caused  immediate  and  great  excitement.  Secre- 
tary Floyd  had  now  left  the  Cabinet.  A  committee  of  gentlemen 
of  the  city  of  Pittsburg  had  meantime  communicated  the  facts  to 
the  President,  who,  through  his  then  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt, 


SMALL-ARMS  SENT  TO  SOUTHERN  ARSENALS.        2  I  7 

promptly  countermanded  the  order.  The  guns  were  not  moved 
the  excitement  was  allayed,  and  on  the  4th  of  January,  1861,  a 
formal  vote  of  thanks  from  the  select  and  common  councils  of 
the  city  was  tendered  to  the  President,  his  Secretary  of  State, 
Judge  Black,  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt. 

Previously  to  this  affair  public  rumor  had  connected  the  name 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  with  a  transaction  involving  the  trans- 
mission of  a  large  amount  of  small-arms  to  the  South  "  for  the  use 
of  insurgents."  It  was  stated,  and  at  the  time  generally  credited, 
that  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  the  knowledge  of  the  President, 
had  taken  from  the  Northern  arsenals  in  December,  1859,  115,000 
stand  of  arms  of  superior  quality,  with  their  accoutrements  and 
supplies  of  ammunition,  and  transferred  them  in  excessive  quan- 
tities to  the  arsenals  at  Fayetteville,  Charleston,  Augusta,  Mount 
Vernon  and  Baton  Rouge  in  the  South,  "  so  that  on  the  breaking 
out  of  the  maturing  rebellion  they  might  be  found  without  cost, 
except  to  the  United  States,  in  the  most  convenient  positions  for 
distribution  among  the  insurgents." 

So  important  a  charge  could  not  pass  unnoticed,  and  the  Com- 
mittee on  Military  Affairs  of  the  House  of  Representatives  was 
instructed  to  inquire  and  report  to  the  House  into  all  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  the  charge  made ;  and  the  Committee 
were  authorized  not  only  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  but  "  to 
report  at  any  time  in  preference  to  all  other  business." 

While  the  report  of  the  Committee  of  the  House  wholly  re- 
lieved the  Secretary  of  War  from  any  criminal  intent  in  the  trans- 
mission of  these  arms,  his  course  had  been  such  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  him,  as  he  thought,  to  propitiate  those  with  whom  he  had 
now  thoroughly  identified  himself;  and  upon  his  arrival  at  Rich- 
mond he  announced  "  that  he  had,  while  Secretary  of  War,  supplied, 
the  South  with  arms  in  anticipation  of  the  approaching  rebellion  " 
— a  confession  that  he  had  proved  treacherous  to  his  former  high 
official  trust.  And  he  succeeded.  He  was  taken  into  favor  and 
was  subsequently  appointed  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  in  the 
Confederate  Army,  although  in  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  Mr. 
Jefferson  Davis,  who  only  yielded  to  the  solicitations  of  Virginia 
in  his  behalf. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Envoy  of  Governor  of  South  Carolina  arrives  in  Washington— Informal  and 
unofficial  interview  with  the  President — Informs  the  President  of  his  mission 
verbally — Action  of  Southern  Senators — Their  communication —Envoy 
complies  with  their  request,  and  withholds  his  communication  temporarily 
— Proposes  arrangement  with  the  President,  to  whom  this  correspondence 
is  sent— President's  reply  through  his  Secretary  of  War— Able  letters  of 
Secretary,  who  makes  known  the  purpose  of  the  President — President 
declines  to  make  any  arrangement— Will  reinforce  Major  Anderson,  should 
he  require  it — Senators  again  address  the  envoy,  and  oppose  any  collision 
upon  the  part  of  the  State  until  their  States  were  ready — Fort  Sumter  as 
" property  " — Correspondence  with  President  sent  to  Governor  Pickens — 
Reply  of  his  Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Magrath — Reviews  and  criticizes  it 
— Insists  upon  knowing  the  position  of  the  Government  —Demands 
surrender  of  Fort  Sumter — President's  reply  to  be  at  once  communicated, 
when  Governor  would  decide  upon  his  course  —Envoy  to  return. 

THE  envoy  of  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  arrived  in  Wash- 
ington on  the  1 2th  of  January,  and  on  the  i4th  held  an  "informal 
and  unofficial  "  interview  with  the  President.  He  had  already 
been  informed  that  what  was  of  an, official  nature  should  be  con- 
ducted by  written  communications.  He  did  not  present  his  cre- 
dentials, but  informed  the  President  verbally  that  he  bore  a  letter 
from  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  in  regard  to  the  occupation 
of  Fort  Sumter,  and  which  he  would  deliver  to  him  with  a  com- 
munication from  himself  the  next  day.  His  arrival,  however,  and 
the  object  of  his  mission  had  become  known. 

On  the  1 5th  of  January  the  envoy  was  waited  upon  by  a  Sena- 
tor from  Alabama,  representing  all  the  Senators  from  the  States 
which  had  then  seceded  or  were  about  to  secede,  who  were  then 
in  Washington.  He  represented  to  the  envoy  that  all  of  these 
Senators  felt  interested  in  the  object  of  his  mission  equally  with 
South  Carolina;  that  initiation  of  hostilities  now  between  South 
Carolina  and  the  General  Government  would  necessarily  involve 
their  States;  and  that  the  action  of  South  Carolina  might  compli- 
cate the  relations  between  her  and  the  seceding  States  and 

interfere  with  a   peaceful    solution  of   the  difficulties   existing. 

218 


LE  TTER  OF  SO  UTHERN  SENA  TORS.  2  I O 

They  therefore  requested  that  he  would  defer  for  a  few  days  the 
delivery  of  the  letter  of  the  Governor  to  the  President,  until  the 
suggestions  they  had  to  make  should  be  considered  by  both  To 
this  the  envoy  agreed,  when  on  the  same  day  the  Senators  referred 
to  addressed  to  him  a  communication  informing  him  that  they 
were  apprised  of  his  arrival  with  the  letter  to  the  President,  but 
that  without  knowing  its  contents  they  yet  requested  him  to  defer 
its  delivery.  That  the  possession  of  Fort  Sumter,  and  the  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  taken,  was  a  "just  cause  of  irritation 
and  apprehension  "  upon  the  part  of  the  State,  and  the  chief  if  not 
the  only  source  of  difficulty,  but  that  they  had  assurances  that  it 
was  only  held  as  "  property,"  without  any  hostile  or  unfriendly 
purpose.  They  desired  an  amicable  adjustment,  and,  represent- 
ing States  which  had  already  seceded  or  would  soon  do  so,  and 
whose  people  felt  that  they  had  a  common  destiny  with  South 
Carolina  and  were  looking  forward  to  meet  her  in  the  coming 
Convention  of  the  1 5th  of  February,  to  form  a  new  confederation 
and  provisional  Government,  they  thought  that  it  was  due  from 
South  Carolina  to  the  other  slave-holding  States  that  she  should 
avoid  initiating  hostilities,  as  far  as  she  could  do  so  consistently 
with  her  honor.  They  also  asserted  that  "we  have  the  public 
declaration  of  the  President,  that  he  has  not  the  constitutional 
power  to  make  war  in  South  Carolina,  and  that  the  public  peace 
shall  not  be  disturbed  by  any  act  of  hostility  towards  your  State." 
Hence,  they  saw  no  reason  why  a  settlement  of  existing  difficulties 
might  not  be  arrived  at,  if  time  were  given  for  calm  and  deliberate 
counsel,  and  they  trusted  that  an  arrangement  would  be  agreed 
upon  between  .him  and  the  Presidents  "  at  least  until  the  i5th  of 
February  next."  They  urged,  too,  that  the  State  should  suffer 
Major  Anderson  to  obtain  necessary  supplies  "of  food,  fuel  or 
water,"  and  enjoy  free  communication  by  post  or  special  messen- 
ger with  the  President,  upon  the  understanding  that  the  President 
would  not  send  him  reinforcements  during  the  same  period;  and 
their  proposition,  with  the  answer  of  the  envoy,  they  proposed  to 
submit  to  the  President.  These  suggestions  they  hoped  might  be 
submitted  to  the  Governor  if  the  envoy  himself  was  not  clothed 
with  the  power  to  act,  and  that  until  his  response  was  communi- 
cated to  the  President,  "of  course"  Fort  Sumter  would  not  be 
attacked  and  the  President  would  not  offer  to  reinforce  it.  The 
letter  was  signed  by  Louis  T.  Wigfall,  John  Hemphill,  D.  L. 


22O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Yulee,  S.  R.  Mallory,  Jeff.  Davis,  C.  C.  Clay,  Jr.,  Benj.  Fitz- 
patrick,  A.  Iverson,  John  Slidell,  J.  P.  Benjamin. 

The  envoy  felt  the  force  of  the  appeal  made  to  him,  and,  as 
far  as  he  felt  justified,  complied  with  the  request.  As  he  stated 
in  his  communication  of  the  iyth  inst.,  he  was  not  clothed  with 
power  to  make  the  arrangements  they  suggested,  but  he  offered 
to  withhold  the  communication  with  which  he  was  charged  and  to 
await  further  instructions,  provided  that  the  Senators  who 
addressed  him  could  get  satisfactory  assurances  "  that  no  rein- 
forcements would  be  sent  to  Fort  Sumter  in  the  interval,"  and 
that  there  should  be  no  act  of  hostility  towards  the  State.  He 
assures  the  Senators,  also,  that  Major  Anderson  was  then  obtain- 
ing "  all  necessary  supplies,"  which  was  erroneous,  and  he  closed 
his  communication  by  authorizing  the  Senators  to  assure  the 
President  that  in  case  of  their  proposition  being  acceded  to,  no 
attack  would  be  made  upon  Fort  Sumter  until  the  response  of  the 
Governor  had  been  received  and  communicated  to  him.  On  the 
i pth  of  January  the  correspondence  between  the  "  Senators  of  the 
United  States  "  and  Colonel  Hayne  was  presented  to  the  Presi- 
dent, who  was  asked  to  "  take  into  consideration  the  subject  of 
said  correspondence."  This  letter  was  dated  in  the  Senate 
Chamber,  and  signed  by  Benj.  Fitzpatrick,  S.  R.  Mallory  and 
John  Slidell.  To  these  Senators  the  Secretary  of  War,  upon  the 
part  of  the  President,  addressed  a  reply  on  the  2 ad  of  January, 
three  days  after  the  receipt  of  their  letter.  The  Secretary 
acknowledges  the  receipt  of  the  letter  by  the  President,  and 
recapitulates  the  circumstances  under  which  it  had  been  sent. 
He  considered  it  unnecessary  to  refer  specially  to  the  suggestions 
made  by  the  Senators,  because  the  letter  addressed  to  them  by 
Colonel  Hayne  of  the  i7th  inst.  presents  a  clear  and  specific 
answer  to  them,  which  he  recites.  He  informs  the  Senators  that 
it  was  the  fixed  purpose  of  the  President,  then,  as  it  had  been 
heretofore,  "  to  perform  his  executive  duties  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  country  and  to  prevent  bloodshed;" 
to  act  upon  the  defensive  and  to  authorize  no  movement  against 
the  people  of  South  Carolina,  unless  clearly  justified  by  a  hostile 
movement  on  their  part;  and  he  alleges  that  his  forbearance  to 
use  force  when  the  Star  of  the  West  was  fired  upon,  was  a  proof 
of  that  desire.  But,  that  to  give  "assurances  "  that  no  reinforce- 
ments would  be  sent  to  Fort  Sumter  in  the  interval,  or  that  the 


REPL  Y  OF  THE  SEC  RE  TAR  Y  OF  WAR.       221 

public  peace  would  not  be  disturbed  by  any  act  of  hostility 
towards  South  Carolina,  as  proposed  by  Colonel  Hayne,  was 
"impossible."  "The  President,"  said  the  Secretary,  "has  no 
authority  to  enter  into  such  an  agreement  or  understanding." 
That  as  an  executive  officer,  he  was  bound  to  protect  the  public 
property,  and  that  he  could  not  violate  his  duty  by  evading  that 
obligation,  either  for  an  indefinite  or  a  limited  period.  It  was  not 
deemed  necessary  to  reinforce  Major  Anderson,  because  he  had 
made  no  such  request,  and  felt  secure  in  his  position.  "  Should 
his  safety,  however,  require  reinforcements,  every  effort  will  be 
made  to  supply  them." 

He  also  informs  the  Senators  that  to  Congress  alone  belongs 
the  power  to  make  war;  and  for  the  Executive  to  give  an  assurance, 
as  requested  by  Colonel  Hayne,  that  the  public  peace  would  not 
be  "  disturbed  by  any  act  of  hostility  towards  South  Carolina  " 
upon  the  part  of  Congress,  would  be  an  act  of  usurpation  upon  his 
part,  however  strongly  the  President  might  be  convinced  that  no 
such  intention  existed.  He  expresses  his  gratification  that  Major 
Anderson  is  permitted  to  obtain  supplies  from  Charleston,  and 
expresses  his  conviction  that  the  happiest  result  which  could  be 
attained  would  be  the  continuance  of  the  present  amicable  foot- 
ing between  Major  Anderson  and  the  authorities  of  South  Caro- 
lina, "  neither  party  being  bound  by  any  obligation  whatever, 
except  the  high  Christian  and  moral  duty  to  keep  the  peace  and 
to  avoid  all  causes  of  mutual  irritation." 

The  President  had  anticipated  that  this  "  peremptory  refusal  " 
to  enter  into  the  agreement  proposed  to  him  would  have  ter- 
minated the  mission  of  the  envoy  and  released  him  from  the 
obligation  imposed  by  the  truce.  In  this  he  was  disappointed. 

On  the  following  day  seven  of  the  Senators  who  had  signed 
the  previous  communication  to  Colonel  Hayne  again  addressed 
him,  informing  him  of  the  receipt  of  the  letter  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  and  which  they  enclosed  to  him.  Although  its  terms 
were  not  as  satisfactory  as  they  could  have  desired,  they  expressed 
their  entire  confidence  that  no  reinforcements  would  be  sent  to 
Fort  Sumter,  nor  the  public  peace  disturbed  within  the  period 
requisite  for  full  communication  between  the  envoy  and  his  Gov- 
ernment; and  they  trusted  that  he  would  feel  justified  in  applying 
for  further  instructions  before  delivering  to  the  President  "  any 
message"  with  which  he  had  been  charged.  They  again 


222  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

expressed  the  earnest  hope  that  the  State  would  take  no  step 
tending  to  produce  a  collision,  until  their  States,  which  were  to 
share  the  fortunes  of  South  Carolina,  should  join  their  counsels 
with  hers. 

To  this  proposition,  thus  submitted  to  him,  the  envoy  agreed. 
In  his  reply  to  the  Senators  who  had  addressed  him,  the  envdy, 
in  communicating  his  determination  to  withhold  the  letter 
entrusted  to  him,  took  occasion  to  express  his  regret  that  the 
President  thought  it  necessary  to  keep  a  garrison  of  troops  "  at 
Fort  Sumter  to  protect  it  as  the  property  of  the  United  States;" 
that  South  Carolina  would  scorn  to  appropriate  to  herself  the 
property  of  another,  "  without  accounting  to  the  last  dollar  for 
everything  "  which  she  might  deem  necessary  to  take  into  her  own 
possession  for  her  protection  and  in  vindication  of  her  honor; 
that  as  "  property,"  Fort  Sumter  was  in  far  greater  jeopardy 
occupied  by  a  United  States  garrison  than  it  would  be  if  delivered 
to  the  State  authorities,  with  a  pledge  that  they  would  fully  account 
for  it  "upon  a  fair  adjustment;"  that  the  occupation  of  a  fort  in 
the  midst  of  a  harbor,  with  its  guns  bearing  on  every  point,  by  a 
Government  no  longer  acknowledged,  could  not  be  else  than  an 
occasion  of  irritation,  excitement  and  indignation,  and  as  creat- 
ing a  condition  of  things  which  he  feared  was  but  little  calculated 
to  advance  the  observance  of  the  "  high  Christian  and  moral  duty 
to  keep  the  peace,"  recommended  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  his 
communication. 

In  his  judgment,  to  continue  to  hold  Fort  Sumter  by  United 
States  troops  was  the  worst  possible  means  of  protecting  it  as 
"  property,"  and  the  worst  possible  means  of  effecting  a  peaceable 
solution  of  the  difficulties. 

The  correspondence  between  the  envoy  and  the  Senators, 
including  the  reply  of  the  President  through  the  Secretary  of  War, 
was  at  once  transmitted  to  the  authorities  of  South  Carolina,  and 
on  the  26th  of  January  a  reply  upon  the  part  of  the  Governor 
through  A.  G.  Magrath,  the  Secretary  of  State,  was  returned  to  the 
envoy.* 

The  communication  was  lengthy,  but  at  once  clear  and  unequi- 
vocal. It  reviewed  all  of  the  facts  as  stated  and  the  points  at 


*  Judge  Magrath's  letter  of  January  26,  1861,  to  Hayne.    P.  21,  Appendix 
to  Convention  of  South  Carolina. 


JUDGE  MAGRATH  REPLIES  TO  SEC.  OF  WAR, 

issue;  in  reference  to  the  intervention  of  the  Senators  from  the 
seceding  States  and  the  suggestions  made  by  them,  he  informs  the 
envoy  that  no  such  communication  was  anticipated  by  the  Gover- 
nor in  the  instructions  which  were  furnished  to  him;  but  that  the 
discretion  exercised  in  the  delay  of  the  delivery  of  his  letter  to 
the  President,  under  the  circumstances,  commended  itself  to  the 
approval  of  the  Governor,  as  due  from  the  State  of  South  Carolina 
to  the  representatives  of  her  sister  States  expecting  to  act  with  her. 
The  reply  of  the  President  through  his  Secretary  of  War,  and 
especially  that  part  of  it  in  regard  to  his  purpose  to  hold  Fort 
Sumter  as  "property"  of  the  United  States;  his  declaration  in 
response  to  the  expressed  desire  of  the  Senators  that  the  State 
should  avoid  the  initiation  of  hostilities,  and  also  the  impossibility 
of  giving  any  assurance  that  reinforcements  would  not  be  sent  to 
Fort  Sumter,  and  that  they  would  be  sent  should  Major  Anderson's 
safety  require  it — were  all  carefully  restated  by  the  Governor's 
Secretary  of  State,  who  in  his  communication  replied  to  them  all. 
He  thought  that  the  letter  of  the  Senators  and  the  envoy's  reply 
presented  a  "  marked  and  agreeable  contrast "  to  the  President's 
letter;  that  the  Governor  appreciated  the  feeling  which  that 
letter  must  have  excited  in  those  .Senators,  as  well  as  their  for- 
bearance and  their  generosity  in  still  continuing  to  hope  that  a 
collision  might  be  avoided  until  their  States  should  equally  share 
the  dangers.  It  was  intended  that  the  acquiescence  of  the  President 
in  the  "arrangements  or  understanding"  by  which  he  would  be 
prevented  from  sending  reinforcements  to  Fort  Sumter,  should  be 
binding  upon  him,  and  it  was  so  declared  by  the  Senators  in  their 
letter  to  the  envoy  of  the  i5th  of  January.  With  the  concession 
from  the  State  in  certain  measures,  a  concession  from  the  President 
was  "  evidently  expected  "  by  them.  The  reply  of  the  President, 
and  his  refusal  to  agree  to  abstain  from  action  either  until  the 
1 5th  of  February,  the  day  named  by  the  Senators,  or  even 
until  the  envoy  could  communicate  with  the  Governor  of  the 
State,  although  the  President  knew  that  such  attempt  would  be 
regarded  by  the  State  as  an  act  of  war,  was  commented  upon. 
What  the  State  had  been  desired  to  do  by  the  Senators,  she  had 
done,  not  in  acknowledgment  of  any  right  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  but  as  an  act  of  courtesy;  with  the  supplies 
Major  Anderson  was  receiving  and  the  facilities  he  was  enjoy- 
ing, no  pretext  for  interference  with  the  harbor  could  be  found, 


224  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

except  in  connection  with  the  right  claimed  to  reinforce  the  fort, 
and  which,  "  involved  in  a  duty,"  carried  with  it  the  necessity 
that  he  should  determine  when  that  duty  should  be  dis- 
charged. As  to  the  President's  intimation  that  no  reinforcements 
would  be  sent,  because  Anderson  had  not  asked  for  them  and  felt 
secure  in  his  position,  it  should  be  remembered  that  on  a  previous 
occasion,  when  he  had  not  asked  for  reinforcements  and  possibly 
felt  as  secure  as  now,  they  were  nevertheless  sent,  and  it  was  not 
the  fault  of  the  Government  "that  they  did  not  reach  him." 
The  proposition  thus  made  by  the  Southern  Senators  was  "  unsoli- 
cited and  unexpected."  "It  was  the  evidence  of  a  generous 
impulse  "  and  an  exhibition  of  an  anxious  desire  to  avoid  collision 
and  strife,  and  the  moderation  of  their  terms  would  long  be 
remembered.  Under  these  circumstances  it  was  now  not  only 
" important "  but  " indispensably  necessary"  that  the  Governor 
should  "  correctly  understand  "  the  position  of  the  General  Govern- 
ment towards  the  State  of  South  Carolina.  The  correspondence 
and  the  letter  of  the  President  served  to  dispel  much  of  whatever 
doubt  may  have  existed,  and  the  Governor  concluded  that, 
stripped  of  all  disguise,  the  "  real  purpose  of  the  President "  was 
to  retain  Fort  Sumter  as  a  military  post;  that  the  position  of 
the  President  in  regard  to  South  Carolina  was  the  same  in  refer- 
ence to  the  other  States  which  had  seceded;  and  the  Governor 
considered  it  to  be  his  duty  to  regard  all  hostile  attempts  by  the 
General  Government  upon  any  State  which  had  seceded  as 
"  attempts  made  directly  upon  South  Carolina." 

The  envoy  is  further  informed  by  the  South  Carolina  Secretary 
of  State,  that  it  was  regarded  as  a  "happy  circumstance  "  by  the 
Governor  that,  in  deferring  to  the  wishes  of  the  Senators,  their  good 
intent  had  been  rewarded  by  "  leading  to  that  declaration  from  the 
President,"  which  would  be  regarded  in  every  seceding  State  as 
"  his  declaration  of  war  against  them."  In  reference  to  the  firing 
upon  the  Star  of  the  West,  the  Governor  did  not  wish  to  be  under- 
stood as  aco^iiescing  in  the  correctness  of  that  construction  of  the 
President's  conduct, which  the  President  was  "  pleased  to  consider  a 
proof  of  his  forbearance,"  but  which  the  Governor  considered 
"under  the  circumstances  of  the  case, wholly  unjustifiable,  and  more 
than  aggravating."  The  repulse  of  the  steamer  was  not  to  be 
considered  by  the  President  as  the  attack  of  the  State  upon  an  un- 
armed vessel.  If  it  was  not  a  vessel  intended  for  war,  it  was  less 


JUDGE  MAGRATH^S  LETTER  CONCLUDED. 


225 


excusable  to  attempt  to  introduce  armed  men  to  execute  the 
orders  of  the  President  "  under  the  shield  of  a  peaceful  trader." 
It  was  not  only  a  hostile  demonstration,  but  one  attempted  under  a 
disguise,  and  which,  had  it  been  successful,  would  have  had  noth- 
ing but  the  success  attending  it  "  to  compensate  for  the  sacrifice  of 
the  proprieties  with  which  it  had  been  purchased." 

The  propriety  of  the  demand  with  which  the  envoy  was  charged 
had  not  only  been  confirmed  in  the  opinion  of  the  Governor,  but 
he  had  now  become  convinced  of  its  necessity.  The  safety  of  the 
State  required  "  that  the  position  "  of  the  President  should  be  "  dis- 
tinctly understood,"  and  the  safety  of  all  of  the  seceding  States 
was  equally  involved.  To  hold  Fort  Sumter  as  a  military  post 
within  the  limits  of  South  Carolina  "will  not  be  tolerated."  The 
envoy  was  to  say  to  the  President  that  if  he  asserted  the  right  to 
send  reinforcements  to  Fort  Sumter,  South  Carolina  would  regard 
such  a  right,  when  asserted,  or  an  attempt  at  its  exercise,  as  a 
declaration  of  war.  If  the  President  intended  that  it  should  not  be 
so  understood,  it  was  proper  that  he  should  know  how  the  Governor 
felt  "  bound  to  regard  it." 

If  the  President  should  refuse  to  deliver  the  fort  upon  the 
pledge  the  envoy  was  authorized  to  make,  he  would  at  once  com- 
municate that  fact  to  the  Governor.  If  the  President,  however, 
should  not  be  prepared  to  give  an  immediate  answer,  he  was  to  be 
informed  that  his  answer  might  be  transmitted  to  the  Governor. 
The  envoy  was  not  to  remain  longer  than  to  execute  this  as  his 
closing  duty,  and  when  he  should  receive  the  reply  of  the  Presi- 
dent, the  Governor  would  then  consider  the  conduct  which  would 
be  necessary  upon  his  part.  Finally,  the  Senators  who  had  "  gen- 
erously interposed  "  were  thanked  by  the  Governor,  who  expresses 
the  feeling  that  if  other  counsels  should  prevail,  his  own  efforts  and 
those  of  the  Senators  interested  were  earnestly  made  to  avert  them, 
and  that  he  had  no  further  communication  to  make  to  his  envoy, 
except  to  thank  him  for  the  manner  in  which  the  duty  entrusted  to 
him  had  been  discharged. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Envoy  Hayne  presents  his  letter  to  the  President— Subsequently  addresses  Presi- 
dent directly— Comments  upon  the  letter  of  Secretary  of  War— Receives 
further  instructions,  and  communicates  as  special  envoy — Offers  to  make 
compensation  for  Fort  Sumter — Comments  upon  the  President's  letter  to 
the  Southern  Senators — Justifies  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West — 
Able  response  of  Secretary  of  War  for  the  President — P'ort  Sumter  as 
"•property" — Answers  propositions  of  envoy — Rightof  "  eminent  domain" 
cannot  be  asserted — No  constitutional  right  in  President  to  "cede  or  sur- 
render" Fort  Sumter — Right  to  send  reinforcements  "unquestionable  " — 
President  will  send  them,  if  necessary — Fort  held  as  property  and  for  no 
unfriendly  purpose — Envoy  replies  directly  to  the  President  and  leaves 
Washington— His  letter — The  President  declines  to  receive  it — Letter  re- 
turned to  Colonel  Hayne  by  mail. 

UPON  the  receipt  of  the  communication  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  of  South  Carolina,  the  envoy  of  the  Governor  lost  no  time 
in  presenting  the  letter  with  which  he  had  been  charged  to  the 
President.  On  the  3ist  of  January  he  addressed  to  the  Presi- 
dent a  communication,  in  which  he  rehearsed  the  steps  that  had 
been  taken  since  his  personal  interview  with  him,  the  part  taken 
by  the  Southern  Senators,  their  address  to  him,  and  his  reply  to 
their  letter  through  his  Secretary  of  War.  This  reply  is  com- 
mented upon  by  the  envoy  at  some  length,  who  pronounces  it  as 
"  unsatisfactory  "  to  him.  It  appeared  to  him  that  not  only  was 
the  main  proposition  of  the  Senators  rejected  in  advance,  but  that 
there  was  also  in  the  Secretary's  letter  a  distinct  refusal  to  make 
any  stipulation  on  the  subject  of  reinforcement,  even  for  the 
short  time  requisite  for  him  to  communicate  with  his  Govern- 
ment. The  reply  was  unsatisfactory  to  him,  and  would  be  so 
also  to  the  authorities  he  represented.  But  as  the  reply  was  not 
addressed  to  him  or  to  those  authorities,  and  as  South  Caro- 
lina had  addressed  nothing  to  the  Government  or  asked  any- 
thing at  the  hands  of  the  President,  he  had  looked  only  to 
the  note  addressed  to  him  by  the  Senators  of  the  seceded  and 
seceding  States.  Further  instructions  had  arrived  on  the  30th, 
for  his  guidance,  and  he  had  now  the  Honor  to  make  to  the 

226 


ENVOV  HAYNE  ADDRESSES  THE  PRESIDENT. 


227 


President  his  first  communication  as  "Special  envoy  from  the 
Governor  of  South  Carolina." 

The  letter  of  the  Governor  of  the  i2th  of  January  was 
enclosed  to  the  President,  the  envoy  at  the  same  time  stating  to 
him  that  the  Governor  was  not  only  confirmed  in  his  opinion  as  to 
the  propriety  of  the  demand,  but  that  the  circumstances  developed 
by  his  mission  had  increased  that  opinion  into  a  conviction 
of  its  necessity.  If  Fort  Sumter  was  not  held  as  property, 
but  as  a  military  post,  such  a  post  within  the  limits  of  South 
Carolina  could  not  be  tolerated.  He  did  "  not  come  as  a  military 
man  to  demand  the  surrender  of  a  fortress,"  but  as  the  legal  officer 
of  the  State,  its  Attorney-General,  to  claim  for  the  State  the  exer- 
cise of  its  undoubted  right  of  "  eminent  domain,"  and  to  pledge 
the  State  to  make  good  all  injury  to  the  right  of  property  which 
might  arise  from  the  exercise  of  that  claim.  The  right  assumed  by 
the  State  "  to  take  into  her  possession  everything  within  her  limits 
essential  to  maintain  her  honor  and  her  safety,  she  would  not 
permit  to  be  drawn  into  discussion.  She  would  make  compen- 
sation, "  upon  a  fair  accounting,  to  the  last  dollar."  And  the 
envoy  informs  the  President  that  the  proposition  now  was  that 
he,  her  law  officer,  should  pledge  the  faith  of  the  State  under  the 
authority  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  "  to  make  such  compen- 
sation in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter  "  to  the  full  extent  of  the  money- 
value  of  the  property  of  the  United  States  delivered  to  the  authori- 
ties of  the  State. 

The  view  that  a  continued  armed  possession  of  the  fort  would 
put  it  in  jeopardy  and  lead  to  a  collision,  was  again  expressed  to 
the  President.  In  the  opinion  of  the  envoy,  "  no  people  not  com- 
pletely abject  and  pusillanimous,  could  submit,  indefinitely  "  to 
an  armed  occupation  of  a  fort  commanding  the  harbor  of  its  prin- 
cipal city;  where  "the  daily  ferry-boats  that  ply  upon  the  waters  " 
moved  "  but  at  the  sufferance  of  aliens."  This  armed  occupancy 
was  not  only  unnecessary,  but  it  was  manifestly  the  "  worst  possible 
means  "  which  could  be  taken  to  accomplish  the  object.  The  reply 
of  the  President  to  the  Senators  on  the  subject  of  reinforcements 
was  referred  to  and  quoted  by  the  envoy.  That  part  of  the  Presi- 
dent's message  of  the  28th  of  January,  where  he  expresses  himself 
that  it  would  be  a  "  usurpation  "  upon  his  part  to  attempt  to 
restrain  the  action  of  Congress  by  entering  into  any  agreement 
in  regard  to  matters  over  which  he,  as  President,  had  no  constitu- 


228  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

tional  control,  as  Congress  might  pass  laws  which  he  would  be 
bound  to  obey,  was  quoted  by  the  envoy,  who  replied  that  the 
proposition  was  addressed  to  the  President  under  the  laws  as  they 
then  were,  and  had  no  reference  to  new  conditions  under  new  legis- 
lation. "  It  was  addressed  to  the  Executive  discretion,  acting 
under  existing  laws."  If  Congress  should  in  any  way  legislate  so 
as  to  affect  the  peace  of  the  State,  "  her  interests  or  her  rights," 
she  would  have  timely  notice,  and  would  endeavor,  he  trusted,  to 
meet  the  emergency. 

In  regard  to  the  assertion  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  should 
Anderson's  safety  require  it,  every  effort  would  be  made  to 
send  him  reinforcements,  the  envoy  thought  that  this  seemed  "  to 
ignore  the  other  branch  of  the  proposition  made  by  the  Senators," 
in  reference  to  the  suspension  of  any  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter 
during  the  period  suggested.  It  was  the  imperative  duty  of  the 
State,  and  as  an  absolute  necessity  of  her  condition,  and  in  con- 
sideration of  her  own  dignity  as  a  sovereign  and  the  safety  of  the 
people,  "  to  demand  that  this  property  should  not  longer  be  used 
as  a  military  post  by  a  Government  she  no  longer  acknowledges." 

The  President's  expressed  opinions  as  against  coercion  and  for 
a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties,  were  invoked  by  the  envoy, 
who  expressed  the  hope  that  he  would  not,  upon  further  consid- 
eration "and  mere  question  of  property,  refuse  the  reasonable 
demand  of  South  Carolina."  If  this  hope  should  be  disappointed 
the  responsibility  would  not  rest  with  the  State.  He  urges,  too, 
that  if  war  was  to  be  made,  it  should  be  made  as  of  deliberate 
device,  and  entered  upon  as  war  and  of  set  purpose,"  and  not  "  as 
the  incident  or  accident "  of  a  policy  professedly  peaceful. 

He  justifies  the  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West,  and  informs 
the  President  that  the  interposition  of  the  Senators  who  addressed 
him  was  unexpected  by  his  Government,  and  unsolicited  by  him, 
but  that  while  the  Governor  of  his  State  appreciated  their  high 
and  generous  motives,  he  felt  that  his  demand  upon  the  President 
should  no  longer  be  withheld. 

The  President,  upon  the  receipt  of  the  letter  of  the  envoy,  once 
more  availed  himself  of  the  able  pen  of  his  Secretary  of  War, 
Mr.  Holt,  to  reply,  and  on  the  6th  of  February  that  officer  trans- 
mitted to  the  envoy  of  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  a  re- 
sponse of  great  force,  in  which  the  whole  subject  was  reviewed 
and  the  conduct  of  the  President  explained  and  justified. 


REPLY  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR.       22Q 

The  demand  of  the  Governor,  as  contained  in  his  letter  of 
January  12,  was  referred  to  and  its  terms  quoted,  as  well  as  the 
subsequent  instructions  of  the  Governor,  through  his  Secretary 
of  State,  that  the  right  in  Fort  Sumter  as  "  property  "  could  be 
ascertained  and  satisfied.  The  modification  of  his  demand,  in 
view  of  these  instructions,  presumably  under  the  influence  of  the 
Senators,  was  noticed,  as  well  as  the  expression  of  the  envoy 
under  the  "  full  scope  and  precise  purpose"  of  his  instructions  as 
thus  modified,  that  he  did  "  not  come  as  a  military  man  to  demand 
the  surrender  of  a  fortress,"  but  as  the  Attorney-General  of  the 
State  to  assert  its  undoubted  right  of  "  eminent  domain,"  and  to 
pledge  the  State  to  make  good  all  injury  to  the  rights  of  property. 

The  proposition  to  make  compensation  for  Fort  Sumter  to  the 
full  extent  of  its  money  value,  which  the  envoy,  as  the  law  officer 
of  the  State,  should  pledge  the  faith  of  the  State  to  make,  was 
also  stated  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  as  well  as  reference  made  to 
the  suggestion  of  the  envoy  that  an  attack  upon  the  fort,  which 
must  result  if  continued  to  be  held,  would  not  improve  it  as 
property,  and  if  taken,  "would  no  longer  be  the  subject  of 
account."  "  The  proposal,  then,"  said  the  Secretary,  "now  pre- 
sented to  the  President,  is  simply  an  offer  upon  the  part  of  South 
Carolina  to  buy  Fort  Sumter  and  contents,  as  property  of  the 
United  States,  sustained  by  a  declaration,  in  effect,  that  if  she  is 
not  permitted  to  make  the  purchase,  she  will  seize  the  fort  by 
force  of  arms."  The  proposal  under  the  circumstances  impressed 
"  the  President  as  having  assumed  a  most  unusual  form,"  but 
that  he  had  investigated  the  claim  made,  apart  from  the  declara- 
tion that  accompanied  it.  "Property"  and  "public  property" 
were  the  most  comprehensive  terms  that  could  be  used  in  such 
connection,  and  when  used  in  reference  to  a  fort,  they  embraced 
the  entire  and  undivided  interest  of  the  Government.  The  title 
to  Fort  Sumter  upon  the  part  of  the  Government  was  incontest- 
able. Its  interest  "  might  probably  be  subjected  to  the  exercise 
of  the  right  of  eminent  domain,"  were  it  "  purely  proprietary  " 
only,  but  its  political  relations  gave  it  "  a  much  higher  and  more 
imposing  character "  than  mere  proprietorship.  Its  jurisdiction 
and  the  power  -to  "  exercise  exclusive  legislation "  over  it,  was 
absolute  and  was  therefore  incompatible  with  the  claim  of 
"  eminent  domain  "  now  claimed  by  the  State.  And  this  authority 
was  derived  from  the  peaceful  cession  of  South  Carolina  itself,  and 


2  1Q  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL    WAR. 

«_J 

in  accordance  with  law,  and  South  Carolina  could  no  more  assert 
the  right  of  "  eminent  domain"  over  Fort  Sumter  than  Maryland 
could  assert  it  over  the  District  of  Columbia,  the  "  political  and 
proprietary  rights  "  in  each  case,  being  precisely  the  same. 

But  whatever  might  be  the  claim  of  the  State,  the  President 
had  no  constitutional  right  to  cede  or  surrender  the  fort.  As  the 
head  of  the  executive  branch  of  the  Government,  the  President 
could  "no  more  sell  and  transfer"  the  fort  to  the  State  of  South 
Carolina,  than  he  could  sell  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States  to 
Maryland.  The  question  of  sending  reinforcements,  the  Secre- 
tary considered  as  having  been  fully  disposed  of  in  his  letter  to 
the  Senators.  He  declined  to  renew  its  discussion,  but  repeats 
the  determination  of  the  President  to  send  them  if  needed  and 
Anderson  should  ask  for  them,  and  he  thought  that  he  could  add 
nothing  to  the  "  explicitness "  of  that  language,  which  still 
applied.  The  right  to  send  those  reinforcements  rested  on  the 
same  "  unquestionable  foundation  "  as  the  right  to  occupy  the 
fort  itself.  The  suggestion  contained  in  the  letter  of  the  Senators 
of  the  1 5th  of  January,  that  it  was  due  from  South  Carolina  to  her 
sister  States  that  she  should  "  avoid  initiating  hostilities  with  the 
United  States  or  any  other  power,"  as  well  as  the  gratifying 
assurance  now  given  by  the  envoy,  that  "South  Carolina  has 
every  disposition  to  preserve  the  public  peace,"  would  seem  to 
ensure  the  attainment  of  this  common  and  patriotic  object,  since 
the  President  himself  was  animated  by  the  same  desire.  But  it 
was  difficult  to  reconcile  this  assurance  with  the  declaration  of 
the  envoy,  that  her  dignity  as  a  sovereign  and  the  safety  of  her 
people  prompts  the  State  to  demand  that  Fort  Sumter  "  should 
not  longer  be  used  as  a  military  post  by  a  Government  she  no 
longer  acknowledges,"  and  that  this  occupation  must  lead  to  a 
collision  and  to  war.  "  Fort  Sumter  is,  in  itself,"  said  the  Secre- 
tary, "a  military  post  and  nothing  else,  and  it  would  seem  that 
not  so  much  the  fact  as  the  purpose  of  its  use  should  give  to  it 
a  hostile  or  a  friendly  character."  The  Government  held  it  now 
for  the  same  national  and  defensive  objects  for  which  it  had  been 
always  held  since  its  completion,  and  the  whole  force  of  its 
batteries  would  be  at  once  used  against  an  enemy  which  should 
attack  Charleston  or  its  harbor.  And  the  President  could  not 
understand  how  "  a  small  garrison  actuated  by  such  a  spirit " 
could  become  a  source  of  irritation  to  the  people  or  compromise 


"INSUL  TING  ANS  WER  ' '  OF  ENVO  Y. 


231 


the  dignity  or  honor  of  the  State.  Its  attitude  was  neither 
menacing  nor  unfriendly,  and  it  was  under  orders  to  stand 
strictly  on  the  defensive,  and  unless  the  Government  and  people 
of  South  Carolina  should  seek  its  destruction  and  assault  it,  they 
could  "  never  receive  aught  but  shelter  from  its  guns,"  and  that 
Senator  Davis  had  truthfully  stated  the  intent  with  which  the  fort 
was  held  when,  in  connection  with  other  Senators,  in  their  letter 
to  him  of  the  i5th  of  January,  he  informed  him  that  the  fort  was 
held  as  property  only,  and  not  for  any  unfriendly  purpose.  If 
the  President's  pacific  purposes  and  his  forbearance,  so 
severely  tried,  be  not  received  as  a  pledge  of  his  policy,  then 
neither  language  nor  conduct  could  possibly  furnish  one.  And 
if,  after  the  multiplied  proofs  that  existed  of  the  President's 
anxiety  for  peace,  Fort  Sumter  should  be  assaulted  and  the  lives 
of  the  garrison  imperilled,  and  the  country  plunged  into  war, 
upon  the  authorities  of  the  State  and  those  they  represent  must 
rest  the  responsibility.* 

The  President  thought  that  the  statements  and  argu- 
ments of  this  letter  were  unanswerable,  and  that  they  could  not 
but  produce  an  effect  upon  the  envoy  personally.  It  was  to  be 
presumed,  too,  that  the  argument  had  been  exhausted  in  the 
long  correspondence  that  had  taken  place.  Upon  its  receipt, 
however,  the  envoy  on  the  7th  of  February  prepared  a  com- 
munication which  the  President  considered  an  "  insulting 
answer,"  and  which  was  directed,  not  "as  usage  and  common 
civility  required,"  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  but  directly  to  the 
President.  The  envoy  "then  suddenly  left  Washington,  leav- 
ing his  missive  behind  him,  to  be  delivered  after  his  departure." 

As  no  mere  extract  from  this  unusual  communication  could 
give  a  proper  idea  of  its  character,  it  is  inserted  in  full,  and  is 

as  follows  : 

"  WASHINGTON,  February  7,  1861. 
"  To  His  EXCELLENCY  JAMES  BUCHANAN,  President. 

"  Sir:  Your  reply  through  your  Secretary  of  the  War 
Department  to  my  communication  of  the  3ist  of  January, 
covering  the  demand  of  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  for 
the  delivery  of  Fort  Sumter,  was  received  yesterday.  Although 
the  very  distinct  and  emphatic  refusal  of  that  demand  closes 
my  mission,  I  feel  constrained  to  correct  some  strange  mis- 
apprehensions into  which  your  Secretary  has  fallen. 


Buchanan's  Administration." 


232  THE  GENESIS  OP  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  There  has  been  no  modification  of  the  demand  author- 
ized to  be  made,  and  no  change  whatever  in  its  character,  and 
of  this  you  were  distinctly  informed  in  my  communication  of 
the  3ist  of  January.  You  have  the  original  demand  as 
delivered  to  me  by  Governor  Pickens  on  the  i2th  of  January, 
and  you  have  an  extract  from  the  further  instructions  received 
by  me,  expressly  stating  that  he,  the  Governor,  was  confirmed 'in  the 
views  he  entertained  on  the  i2th  of  January,  by  that  very  corre- 
spondence which  you  assign  as  the  cause  of  the  alleged  modifica- 
tion. You  assume  that  the  character  of  the  demand  has  been 
modified,  yet  you  have  from  me  but  one  communication,  and  that 
asserts  the  contrary,  and  you  have  nothing  from  the  Governor  but 
the  very  demand  itself,  which  you  say  has  been  modified.  What 
purpose  of  peace  or  conciliation  your  Secretary  could  have  had  in 
view  in  the  introduction  of  this  point  at  all,  it  is  difficult  to  perceive. 

"  You  next  attempt  to  ridicule  the  proposal  as  simply  an  offer 
on  the  part  of  South  Carolina  to  buy  Fort  Sumter  and  contents  as 
property  of  the  United  States,  sustained  by  a  declaration,  in  effect, 
that  if  she  is  not  permitted  to  make  the  purchase,  she  will  seize 
the  fort  by  force  of  arms.  It  is  difficult  to  consider  this  as  other 
than  intentional  misconstruction.  You  were  told  that  South 
Carolina,  as  a  separate,  independent  sovereignty,  would  not 
tolerate  the  occupation,  by  foreign  troops,  of  a  military  post  with- 
in her  limits,  but  that  inasmuch  as  you,  in  repeated  messages  and 
in  your  correspondence,  had  '  laid  much  stress '  upon  the  char- 
acter of  your  duties,  arising  from  considering  forts  as  property, 
South  Carolina,  so  far  as  this  matter  of  property  suggested  by 
yourself  was  concerned,  would  make  compensation  for  all  injury 
done  the  property,  in  the  exercise  of  her  sovereign  right  of  emi- 
nent domain.  And  this  your  Secretary  calls  a  proposal  to  pur- 
chase. The  idea  of  purchase  is  entirely  inconsistent  with  the 
assertion  of  the  paramout  right  in  the  purchaser.  I  had  supposed 
that  an  '  interest  in  property '  as  such,  could  be  no  other  than 
'  purely  proprietary,'  and  if  I  confined  myself  to  this  narrow  view 
of  your  relations  to  Fort  Sumter,  you  at  least  should  not  con- 
sider it  the  subject  of  criticism.  Until  your  letter  of  yesterday, 
you  chose  so  to  consider  your  relations,  in  everything  which  you 
have  written,  or  which  has  been  written  under  your  direction. 

"  It  was  precisely  because  you  had  yourself  chosen  to  place 
your  action  upon  the  ground  of  <  purely  proprietary '  right,  that 
the  proposal  of  compensation  was  made,  and  you  now  admit  that 
in  this  view  '  it  (Fort  Sumter)  would  probably  be  subjected  to  the 
exercise  of  the  right  of  eminent  domain.' 

"In  your  letter  of  yesterday  (through  your  Secretary)  you 
shift  your  position.  You  claim  that  your  Government  bears  to 
Fort  Sumter  '  political  relations  of  a  much  higher  and  more  impos- 
ing character.' 

"  It  was  no  part  of  my  mission  to  discuss  the  '  political  rela- 


PRESIDENT  RETURNS  LETTER  TO  ENVOY. 


233 


tions  '  of  the  United  States  Government  to  anything  within  the  ter- 
ritorial limits  of  South  Carolina.  South  Carolina  claims  to  have 
severed  all  political  connection  with  your  Government,  and  to  have 
destroyed  all  political  relations  of  your  Government  with  every- 
thing within  her  borders.  She  is  unquestionably  at  this  moment  de 
facto  a  separate  and  independent  Government,  exercising  complete 
sovereignty  over  every  foot  of  her  soil  except  Fort  Sumter. 
Now  that  the  intention  is  avowed  to  hold  this  place  as  a  military 
post,  with  the  claim  of  exclusive  jurisdiction  on  the  part  of  a 
Government  foreign  to  South  Carolina,  it  will  be  for  the  authorities 
to  determine  what  is  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued.  It  is  vain 
to  ignore  the  fact  .that  South  Carolina  is,  to  yours,  a  foreign 
Government,  and  how  with  this  patent  fact  before  you,  you  can 
consider  the  continued  occupation  of  a  fort  in  her  harbor  a 
pacific  measure  and  parcel  of  a  peaceful  policy,  passes  certainly 
my  comprehension. 

"  You  say  that  the  fort  was  garrisoned  for  our  protection,  and 
is  held  for  the  same  purposes  for  which  it  has  been  ever  held  since 
its  construction.  Are  you  not  aware,  that  to  hold,  in  the  territory 
of  a  foreign  power,  a  fortress  against  her  will,  avowedly  for  the 
purpose  of  protecting  her  citizens,  is,  perhaps,  the  highest  insult 
which  one  Government  can  offer  to  another  ?  But  Fort  Sumter 
was  never  garrisoned  at  all  until  South  Carolina  had  dissolved 
her  connection  with  your  Government.  This  garrison  entered  it 
at  night,  with  every  circumstance  of  secrecy,  after  spiking  the  guns 
and  burning  the  gun-carriages,  and  cutting  down  the  flag-staff  of  an 
adjacent  fort,  which  was  then  abandoned.  South  Carolina  had 
not  taken  Fort  Sumter  into  her  own  possession,  only  because  of 
her  misplaced  confidence  in  a  Government  which  deceived  her.  A 
fortress  occupied  under  the  circumstances  above  stated,  is  consid- 
ered by  you  not  only  as  no  cause  of  irritation,  but  you  represent 
it  as  held  for  our  protection  ! 

"  Your  Excellency's  Secretary  has  indulged  in  irony  on  a  very 
grave  subject.  As  to  the  responsibility  for  consequences,  if 
indeed,  it  does  rest  on  us,  I  can  assure  your  Excellency  we  are 
happily  unconscious  of  the  fact. 

"  I  return  to  Charleston  to-morrow.  With  considerations  of 
high  regard, 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully, 

"  J.  W.  HAYNE, 

"  Special  Envoy." 

The  President  thought  that  from  the  conduct  of  the  envoy,  he 
had  evidently  anticipated  the  fate  of  his  letter;  and  upon  the  same 
day  upon  which  it  was  received,  he  caused  its  return  to  him,  hav- 
ing placed  upon  it  the  following  endorsement:  "  The  character 
of  this  letter  is  such  that  it  cannot  be  received.  Colonel  Hayne 


234 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


having  left  the  city  before  it  was  sent  to  the  President,  it  is  returned 
to  him  by  the  first  mail." 

The  President  retained  no  copy  of  the  letter,  nor  did  he  again 
hear  of  it. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

President  embarrassed  by  Major  Anderson's  "  truce" — Determines  to  respect 
it— Considers  that  his  instructions  should  have  guided  Major  Anderson— 
Upon  departure  of  the  envoy  new  expedition  resolved  upon— Members  of 
the  Cabinet  interested  in  relief  to  Sumter — Letter  of  Judge  Black,  Secre- 
tary of  State,  to  Lieutenant-General  Scott — General  Scott  does  not  res- 
pond —Later,  Judge  Black  addresses  the  President,  Reviews  the  situation — 
Urges  decision  of  some  policy  in  regard  to  Sumter — Ex-President  John 
Tyler  a  Commissioner  from  the  Peace  Convention  of  Virginia,  arrives  in 
Washington -President  sends  his  Secretary  of  State,  in  anticipation  of  his 
visit,  to  call  upon  him — The  interview — President  declines  to  become  a 
party  to  proposed  agreement — Transmits  message  to  Congress  on  January 
28,  with  the  resolutions  of  the  Virginia  Convention —Congress  ignores 
his  recommendations— Subject  dropped — Commissioner  to  South  Carolina 
presents  Virginia  resolutions  to  the  Legislature— Coldly  received — 
Governor  Pickens  opposed — General  Assembly  declines  to  enter  into 
negotiations— Commissioners  continue  their  efforts — Ex-President  Tyler 
telegraphs  to  Governor  Pickens — Explains  position  of  the  President — Reply 
of  Governor — Reports  of  interviews  to  relieve  Sumter — Reports  also  of  its 
immediate  seizure  by  the  State— Governor  telegraphs  to  Montgomery, 
asking  that  a  commander-in-chief  be  appointed — Meeting  of  Cabinet  in 
Washington  to  determine  upon  plan  of  relief  to  Sumter — Details  of  plan — 
Additional  proposition  of  Captain  G.  V.  Fox — Its  detail  —General  Scott 
approves  preparations  made — President  changes  his  mind— He  determines 
to  respect  the  appeal  made  by  Virginia — Will  not  precipitate  a  crisis — 
Astonishment  and  disappointment  of  General  Scott — His  subsequent  letter 
to  the  incoming  President — President  Buchanan's  statement— Captain  Fox 
again  urges  his  plan. 

THE  action  of  Major  Anderson  in  referring  the  demand  for 
the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter  to  Washington,  and  the  establish- 
ment, in  consequence,  of  a  "  truce  "  until  the  return  of  the  mes- 
sengers, occasioned  surprise  and  embarrassment  to  the  President. 
He  thought  that  Major  Anderson  had  thus  placed  it  out  of  his 
power  to  ask  for  reinforcements,  and  also  beyond  the  power  of 
the  Government  to  send  them  until  the  President  "  should  again 
decide  against  the  surrender  of  the  fort."  Although  the  President 

»3S 


236  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

might  have  annulled  the  truce,  it  would  have  cast,  as  he  thought, 
a  "  serious  reflection"  upon  Major  Anderson  for  having  con- 
cluded it,  and  he  therefore  determined  to  respect  it.  But  he  at 
the  same  time  thought  that  his  instructions  would  have  justified 
Anderson  in  " peremptorily  informing"  the  messengers  of  the 
Governor  that  he  would  not  surrender  the  fort,  but  would  defend 
it,  and  that  such  action  upon  his  part  would  have  been  in  accord- 
ance with  the  "explicit  determination"  of  the  President,  as 
announced  to  the  South  Carolina  Commissioners. 

From  his  letters  and  reports  to  the  War  Department,  it  was 
confidently  believed  that  Major  Anderson  felt  himself  to  be 
wholly  equal  to  his  position,  and  although  the  President  and  his 
Cabinet  had  determined  that  reinforcements  should  be  made 
ready,  and  promptly  sent  to  him  in  case  of  need,  they  were  at 
this  time  under  no  immediate  anxiety  as  to  his  safety. 

But  with  the  departure  of  the  envoy,  the  President  felt  that 
he  was  no  longer  bound  by  the  obligation  imposed  by  the  "  truce," 
and  he  proceeded  to  put  on  foot  an  expedition  for  immediately 
reinforcing  Fort  Sumter,  and  in  regard  to  which  a  council  con- 
sisting of  the , Secretaries  of  War  and  the  Navy,  accompanied  by 
General  Scott,  had  been  requested  to  meet  the  President  on  the 
3oth  of  January,  the  day  upon  which  the  demand  of  the  Govern- 
ment for  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter  had  been  made  upon  him. 

But  the  subject  of  reinforcing  Fort  Sumt-er  immediately  had 
earnestly  engaged  the  attention  of  certain  members  of  the  Cabinet 
whose  influence  with  the  President  was  potential. 

On  the  1 6th  of  January,  six  or  seven  days  after  the  firing 
upon  and  repulse  of  the  Star  of  the  West,  the  Secretary  of  State 
Judge  Black,  addressed  to  Lieutenant-General  Scott  a  letter  in 
which,  while  deferring  to  his  better  judgment  in  "  such  a  matter," 
and  informing  him  that  while  his  opinion  would  be  conclusive 
upon  him,  he  yet  desired  more  clearly  to  understand  the  subject, 
in  view  of  his  own  responsibilities  ;  and  in  a  communication  of 
singular  clearness  and  power  he  reviews  the  position  of  Major 
Anderson  in  Fort  Sumter,  the  necessary  steps  to  his  relief,  the 
comparatively  trifling  character  of  the  obstacles  existing,  and 
presents  in  strong  light  the  unmistakable  and  immediate  duty  of 
the  Government ;  and  if  he  should  have  erred  in  the  views  he 
presents,  he  asks  that  the  General-in-Chief  should  correct  him. 
This  important  and  almost  unknown  letter  is  given  in  lull : 


SECRETARY  OF  STATE  TO  LIEUT. -GEN.  SCOTT. 

"DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE,  January  16,  1861. 
"  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT: 

"  Dear  General ;  The  habitual  frankness  of  your  character 
the  deep  interest  you  take  in  everything  that  concerns  the  public 
defense,  your  expressed  desire  that  I  should  hear  and  understand 
your  views — these  reasons,  together  with  an  earnest  wish  to  know 
my  own  duty  and  to  do  it,  induce  me  to  beg  you  for  a  little  light, 
which  perhaps  you  alone  can  shed,  upon  the  present  state  of  our 
affairs. 

"  i.  Is  it  the  duty  of  the  Government  to  re-enforce  Major 
Anderson  ? 

"  2.  If  yes,  how  soon  is  it  necessary  that  those  re-enforce- 
ments should  be  there  ? 

"3.  What  obstacles  exist  to  prevent  the  sending  of  such 
re-enforcements  at  any  time  when  it  may  be  necessary  to  do  so  ? 

"I  trust  you  will  not  regard  it  as  presumption  in  me  if  I  give 
you  the  crude  notions  which  I  myself  have  already  formed  out  of 
very  imperfect  materials. 

"A  statement  of  my  errors,  if  errors  they  be,  will  enable  you 
to  correct  them  the  more  easily. 

"  I.  It  seems  now  to  be  settled  that  Major  Anderson  and  his 
command  at  Fort  Sumter  are  not  to  be  withdrawn.  The  United 
States  Government  is  not  to  surrender  its  last  hold  upon  its  own 
property  in  South  Carolina.  Major  Anderson  has  a  position  so 
nearly  impregnable  that  an  attack  upon  him  at  present  is  wholly 
improbable,  and  he  is  supplied  with  provisions  which  will  last  him 
very  well  for  two  months.  In  the  meantime  Fort  Sumter  is 
invested  on  every  side  by  the  avowedly  hostile  forces  of  South 
Carolina.  It  is  in  a  state  of  seige.  They  have  already  prevented 
communication  between  its  commander  and  his  own  Government, 
both  by  sea  and  land.  There  is  no  doubt  that  they  intend  to 
continue  this  state  of  things,  as  far  as  it  is  in  their  power  to  do 
so.  In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  from  this  time  it  will  become 
very  difficult  for  him  to  hold  out.  The  constant  labor  and 
anxiety  of  his  men  will  exhaust  their  physical  power,  and  this 
exhaustion,  of  course,  will  proceed  very  much  more  rapidly  as 
soon  as  they  begin  to  get  short  of  provision. 

"  If  the  troops  remain  in  Fort  Sumter  without  any  change  in 
their  condition,  and  the  hostile  attitude  of  South  Carolina  remains 
as  it  is  now,  the  question  of  Major  Anderson's  surrender  is  one  of 
time  only.  If  he  is  not  to  be  relieved,  is  it  not  entirely  clear  that 
he  should  be  ordered  to  surrender  at  once  ?  It  having  been 
determined  that  the  latter  order  shall  not  be  given,  it  follows  that 
relief  must  be  sent  him  at  some  time  before  it  is  too  late  to 
save  him. 

"  II.  This  brings  me  to  the  second  question  :  When  should  the 
re-enforcements  and  provisions  be  sent  ?  Can  we  justify  our- 
selves in  delaying  the  performance  of  that  duty  ? 


238  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  The  authorities  of  South  Carolina  are  improving  every 
moment,  and  increasing  their  ability  to  prevent  re-enforcement 
every  hour,  while  every  day  that  rises  sees  us  with  a  power  dimin- 
ished to  send  in  the  requisite  relief.  I  think  it  certain  that  Major 
Anderson  could  be  put  in  possession  of  all  the  defensive  powers 
he  needs  with  very  little  risk  to  this  Government,  if  the  efforts 
were  made  immediately;  but  it  is  impossible  to  predict  how  much 
blood  or  money  it  may  cost  if  it  be  postponed  for  two  or  three 
months. 

"  The  fact  that  other  persons  are  to  have  charge  of  the  Gov- 
ernment before  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst  has  no  influence 
upon  my  mind,  and,  I  take  it  for  granted,  will  not  be  regarded  as 
a  just  element  in  making  up  your  opinion. 

"  The  anxiety  which  an  American  citizen  must  feel  about  any 
future  event  which  may  affect  the  existence  of  the  country,  is  not 
less  if  he  expects  it  to  occur  on  the  5th  of  March  than  it  would 
be  if  he  knew  it  was  going  to  happen  on  the  3d. 

III.  I  am  persuaded  that  the  difficulty  of  relieving  Major 
Anderson  has  been  very  much  magnified  to  the  minds  of  some 
persons.  From  you  I  shall  be  able  to  ascertain  whether  I  am 
mistaken  or  they.  I  am  thoroughly  satisfied  that  the  battery  on 
Morris  Island  can  give  no  serious  trouble.  A  vessel  going  in 
where  the  Star  of  the  West  went  will  not  be  within  the  reach  of 
the  battery's  guns  longer  than  from  six  to  ten  minutes.  The 
number  of  shots  that  could  be  fired  upon  her  in  that  time  may  be 
easily  calculated,  and  I  think  the  chances  of  her  being  seriously 
injured  can  be  demonstrated,  by  simple  arithmetic,  to  be  very 
small.  A  very  unlucky  shot  might  cripple  her,  to  be  sure,  and  • 
therefore  the  risk  is  something.  But  then  it  is  a  maxim,  not  less 
in  war  than  in  peace,  that  where  nothing  is  ventured  nothing  can 
be  gained.  The  removal  of  the  buoys  has  undoubtedly  made 
the  navigation  of  the  channel  more  difficult.  But  there  are 
pilots  outside  of  Charleston,  and  many  of  the  officers  of  the  Navy, 
who  could  steer  a  ship  into  the  harbor  by  the  natural  landmarks 
with  perfect  safety.  This,  be  it  remembered,  is  not  now  a  subject 
of  speculation;  the  actual  experiment  has  been  tried.  The  Star 
of  the  West  did  pass  the  battery,  and  did  overcome  the  difficulties 
of  the  navigation,  meeting  with  no  serious  trouble  from  either 
cause.  They  have  tried  it;  we  can  say  probatum  estj  and  there 
is  an  end  to  the  controversy. 

"  I  am  convinced  that  a  pirate,  or  a  slaver,  or  a  smuggler,  who 
could  be  assured  of  making  five  hundred  dollars  by  going  into 
the  harbor  in  the  face  of  all  the  dangers  which  now  threaten  a 
vessel  bearing  the  American  flag,  would  laugh  them  to  scorn,  and 
to  one  of  our  naval  officers  who  has  the  average  of  daring,  '  the 
danger's  self  were  lure  alone! ' 

"  There  really  seems  to  me  nothing  in  the  way  that  ought  to 
stop  us  except  the  guns  of  Fort  Moultrie.  If  they  are  suffered  to 


HIS  LETTER  CONTINUED. 


239 


open  a  fire  upon  a  vessel  bearing  re-enforcements  to  Fort  Sumter, 
they  might  stop  any  other  vessel  as  they  stopped  the  Star  of  the 
West.  But  is  it  necessary  that  this  intolerable  outrage  should  be 
submitted  to  ?  Would  it  not  be  an  act  of  pure  self-defense  on 
the  part  of  Major  Anderson  to  silence  Fort  Moultrie,  if  it  be 
necessary  to  do  so,  for  the  purpose  of  insuring  the  safety  of  a 
vessel  whose  arrival  at  Fort  Sumter  is  necessary  for  his  protec- 
tion, and  could  he  not  do  it  effectually  ?  Would  the  South  Caro- 
linians dare  to  fire  upon  any  vessel  which  Major  Anderson  would 
tell  them  beforehand  must  be  permitted  to  pass,  on  pain  of  his 
guns  being  opened  upon  her  assailants  ?  But  suppose  it  impossi- 
ble for  an  unarmed  vessel  to  pass  the  battery,  what  is  the  diffi- 
culty of  sending  the  Brooklyn  or  the  Macedonian  in  ?  I  have 
never  heard  it  alleged  that  the  latter  could  not  cross  the  bar,  and 
I  think  if  the  fact  had  been  so  it  would  have  been  mentioned  in 
my  hearing  before  this  time.  It  will  turn  out  upon  investigation, 
after  all  that  has  been  said  and  sung  about  the  Brooklyn,  that 
there  is  water  enough  there  for  her.  She  draws  ordinarily  only 
sixteen  and  one-half  feet,  and  her  draught  can  be  reduced  eight- 
een inches  by  putting  her  upon  an  even  keel.  The  shallowest 
place  will  give  her  eighteen  feet  of  water  at  high  tide.  In  point 
of  fact,  she  has  crossed  that  bar  more  than  once.  But  apart  even 
from  these  resources,  the  Government  has  at  its  command  three 
or  four  smaller  steamers  of  light  draught  and  great  speed,  which 
could  be  armed  and  at  sea  in  a  few  days,  and  would  not  be  in  the 
least  troubled  by  any  opposition  that  could  be  made  to  their 
entrance. 

"It  is  not,  however,  necessary  to  go  into  the  details,  with 
which,  I  presume,  you  are  fully  acquainted.  I  admit  that  the 
state  of  things  may  be  somewhat  worse  now  than  they  were  a 
week  ago,  and  are  probably  getting  worse  every  day;  but  is  not 
that  the  strongest  reason  that  can  be  given  for  taking  time  by 
the  forelock  ? 

"  I  feel  confident  that  you  will  excuse  me  for  making  this 
communication.  I  have  some  responsibilities  of  my  own  to  meet, 
and  I  can  discharge  them  only  when  I  understand  the  subject  to 
which  they  relate.  Your  opinion,  of  course,  will  be  conclusive 
upon  me,  for  on  such  a  matter  I  cannot  do  otherwise  than  defer 
to  your  better  judgment.  If  you  think  it  most  consistent  with 
your  duty  to  be  silent,  I  shall  have  no  right  to  complain. 

"  If  you  would  rather  answer  orally  than  make  a  written  reply, 
I  will  meet  you  either  at  your  own  quarters  or  here  in  the  State 
Department,  as  may  best  suit  your  convenience. 

"  I  am,  most  respectfully,  yours,  &c., 

"J.  S.  BLACK." 

This  communication  of  Judge  Black,  from  its  able  grasp  of 


246  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  military  situation  and  its  earnest  view  of  the  plain  duty  of 
the  Government,  is,  in  view  of  its  source,  remarkable. 

To  this  communication  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  General  Scott 
made  the  following  endorsement:  "Lieutenant-General  Scott 
received  the  Hon.  Mr.  Black's  most  interesting  communication 
yesterday,  at  too  late  an  hour  and  in  the  midst  of  too  perplexing 
engagements  to  attend  to  it.  The  moment  he  is  released  by  the 
War  Department  this  morning,  General  Scott  will  seek  Mr. 
Black,  and  repeat  his  efforts  till  he  has  had  the  pleasure  of  finding 
him  at  the  Department  of  State  Thursday  morning.* 

But  the  General-in-Chief  did  not  meet  the  Secretary,  nor  was 
there  any  official  reply  or  notice,  upon  his  part,  or  of  the  Secre- 
tary's letter,  f 

The  subject,  however,  and  its  increasing  complications,  was 
the  constant  theme  of  discussion  in  the  Cabinet  now  working  in 
harmony.  On  the  22d  of  January,  the  day  upon  which  the 
President,  through  his  Secretary  of  War,  had  communicated  to 
the  Senators  of  the  seceding  States  his  intention  in  regard  to 
reinforcing  Fort  Sumter,  a  Cabinet  meeting  was  held.  Prevented 
by  sickness  from  being  present,  the  Secretary  of  State  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  President  in  regard  to  the  prospective  deliberation. 
His  communication  was  not  to  be  laid  before  the  heads  of 
Departments,  but  was  for  the  eye  of  the  President  alone.  He 
warns  the  President  that  they  had  been  grossly  imposed  upon 
recently,  by  statements  that  the  reinforcement  of  the  forts  would 
result  in  civil  war,  an  idea  now  ridiculed  ;  that  there  was  a  large 
military  force  in  Charleston;  that  Fort  Sumter  could  not  be 
occupied;  that  the  Brooklyn  could  not  cross  the  bar,  and  that  no 
ship  could  pass  the  battery  on  Morris  Island;  and  that  South 
Carolina  would  not  make  war  upon  us  if  we  were  weak,  but  would, 
should  we  make  ourselves  strong.  And  the  Secretary  urged  upon 
the  President  that  these  things,  being  taken  for  true,  led  to  disas- 
trous consequences,  to  the  discredit  of  the  administration  and 
even  the  Union  itself. 


*  From  the  original  paper  of  General  Scott 

f  Shortly  afterward,  the  Secretary  and  General-in-Chief  met  casually, 
when  the  latter  complimented  the  Secretary  upon  his  letter,  and  said  that  it  was 
worthy  of  a  Field-Marshal.  "Judge  Black,"  he  asked,  "  where  did  you  get 
your  military  education?"  Judge  Black  replied,  "I  was  first  lieutenant  of 
the  Bloody  Mountain  Cavalry  in  Somerset  County." 


SEC.  OF  STATE  ADDRESSES  THE  PRESIDENT. 


24I 


His  letter  was  as  follows: 

FRANKLIN  Row,  January  22,  1861. 

"My  DEAR  MR.  PRESIDENT:  A  slight  attack  of  rheumatism 
will  prevent  me  from  leaving  my  room  to-day,  and  of  course  I 
shall  not  be  at  the  Cabinet  meeting.  But  the  deep  interest  I  feel 
in  the  result  of  your  deliberations  induces  me  to  write  this  note, 
not  to  be  laid  before  the  heads  of  Departments,  but  for  your  own 
eye  alone.  If  I  am  wrong  in  my  interpretation  of  the  past  or  in 
my  expectations  concerning  the  future,  you  can  correct  me  as 
well  as  anybody  else,  and  if  I  am  right  the  suggestions  I  make 
may  possibly  be  of  some  value. 

"You  must  be  aware  that  the  possession  of  this  city  is 
absolutely  essential  to  the  ultimate  designs  of  the  Secessionists. 
They  can  establish  a  Southern  Confederacy  with  the  Capital  of 
the  Union  in  their  hands,  and  without  it  all  the  more  important 
part  of  their  scheme  is  bound  to  fail.  If  they  can  take  it  and  do 
not  take  it,  they  are  fools.  Knowing  them,  as  I  do,  to  be  men  of 
ability  and  practical  good  sense,  not  likely  to  omit  that  which  is 
necessary  to  forward  the  ends  which  they  are  aiming  at,  I  take  it 
for  granted  that  they  have  their  eye  fixed  upon  Washington.  To 
prove  their  desire  to  take  it  requires  no  evidence  at  all  beyond 
the  intrinsic  probability  of  the  fact  itself.  The  affirmative  pre- 
sumption is  so  strong  that  he  who  denies  it  is  bound  to  establish 
the  negative.  But  there  are  additional  and  very  numerous  cir- 
cumstances tending  to  show  that  a  conspiracy  to  that  effect  has 
been  actually  formed,  and  that  large  numbers  of  persons  are 
deeply  and  busily  engaged  in  bringing  the  plot  to  a  head  at  what 
they  conceive  to  be  the  proper  time.  I  do  not  mean  now  to 
enumerate  all  the  facts.  They  form  a  body  of  circumstantial 
evidence  that  is  overwhelming  and  irresistible.  I  know  that  you 
do  not  believe  this,  or  did  not  when  I  saw  you  last.  Your  incre- 
dulity seemed  then  to  be  founded  upon  the  assurances  of  certain 
outside  persons  in  whom  you  confided,  that  nothing  of  that  kind 
was  in  contemplation.  The  mere  opinion  of  those  persons  is 
worth  nothing  apart  from  their  own  personal  knowledge.  They 
can  have  no  personal  knowledge  unless  they  are  themselves  apart 
of  the  conspiracy.  In  the  latter  case  fidelity  to  their  fellows 
makes  treachery  to  you  a  sort  of  moral  necessity.  In  short,  the 
mere  declarations  of  uninformed  persons  who  are  not  in  the 
secrets  of  the  Secessionists  amount  to  very  little,  and  well- 
informed  persons  who  are  admitted  to  their  counsels  can  hardly 
be  expected  to  communicate  their  schemes  to  the  head  of  the 
nation. 

"  Suppose  it  to  be  doubtful  whether  any  hostile  intentions 
against  the  Capital  are  entertained,  what  is  the  duty  of  the 
administration  ?  Shall  we  be  prepared  for  the  worst,  or  leave 
the  public  interests  unguarded,  so  that  the  '  logic  of  events '  may 
demonstrate  our  folly  ?  Preparation  can  do  no  possible  harm  in 


242  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

any  event,  and  in  the  event  which  to  me  seems  most  likely,  it  is 
the  country's  only  chance  of  salvation. 

"  Let  us  not  forget  the  lessons  we  have  learned  in  the  past 
three  months.  The  gross  impostures  practiced  upon  us  recently 
ought  to  make  us  very  slow  about  believing  assurances  or  taking 
advice  which  comes  from  the  enemies  of  the  Union.  Timeo 
Danaos.  They  told  us  that  civil  war  would  be  the  result  of  man- 
ning the  forts  at  Charleston.  Now  they  laugh  at  all  who  believed 
that  prophecy.  They  told  us  about  the  eight  regiments  of  artil- 
lery in  South  Carolina;  the  twenty  thousand  other  troops;  the  bat- 
tery that  could  take  Castle  Pinckney;  the  impossibility  of  occupy- 
ing Fort  Sumter;  that  the  Brooklyn  was  the  only  ship  of  war  fit 
to  be  sent  down  there,  and  that  she  could  not  cross  the  bar;  that 
the  little  battery  on  Morris  Island  would  prevent  a  ship  from 
going  up  the  channel ;  that  South  Carolina  would  not  make  war 
upon  us  if  we  were  weak,  but  would  if  we  should  make  ourselves 
strong — all  these  things  were  taken  for  true,  and  you  know  how 
disastrous  the  consequences  were,  not  merely  to  the  credit  of  the 
administration,  but  to  the  Union  itself, 

"  '  Upon  \r\ioseproperty  and  most  dear  life  a  damn'd  defeat  was  made.' 

"  I  understand  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  has  promised 
the  Secessionists  that  he  will  withdraw  the  ships  from  the  Florida 
and  Alabama  harbors.  I  hope  and  believe  that  he  has  no  author- 
ity from  you  to  make  such  promise:  and  if  he  has  done  it  of  his 
own  head,  I  am  sure  he  will  receive  a  signal  rebuke.  You  know 
how  much  I  honor  and  respect  Toucey,  but  I  confess  I  find  it  a 
little  difficult  to  forgive  him  for  letting  it  be  understood  that  the 
Brooklyn  could  not  get  into  the  harbor  of  Charleston;  and  the 
order  which  he  gave  to  that  ship,  by  which  her  commander  felt 
himself  compelled,  after  he  was  in  sight  of  Fort  Sumter,  not  to 
go  in,  is  making  this  Government  the  laughter  and  derision  of 
the  world. 

"  I  hope  it  will  soon  be  decided  what  our  policy  is  to  be,  with 
reference  to  the  relief  of  Major  Anderson.  There  certainly 
would  be  no  hurry  about  it,  if  it  were  not  for  the  fact  that  the 
South  Carolinians  are  increasing  their  means  of  resistance  every 
day,  and  this  increase  may  be  such  as  to  make  delay  fatal  to  his 
safety.  But  how  that  is  I  do  not  pretend  to  know  at  present. 
Certainly,  however,  the  facts  ought  to  be  ascertained. 

"  In  the  forty  days  and  forty  nights  yet  remaining  to  this 
administration,  responsibilities  may  be  crowded  greater  than 
those  which  are  usually  incident  to  four  years  in  more  quiet 
times.  I  solemnly  believe  that  you  can  hold  this  revolution  in 
check,  and  so  completely  put  the  calculations  of  its  leaders  out 
of  joint  that  it  will  subside  after  a  time  into  peace  and  harmony. 
On  the  other  hand,  by  leaving  the  Government  an  easy  prey,  the 
spoilers  will  be  tempted  beyond  their  power  of  resistance,  and 
they  will  get  such  an  advantage  as  will  bring  upon  the  country  a 


PEACE  CONVENTION  OF  VIRGINIA. 

whole  illiad  of  woes.  The  short  official  race  which  yet  remains 
to  us,  must  be  run  before  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  and  to  win  we 
must  cast  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  of  state-craft  which 
doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  look  simply  upon  our  duty  and  the 
performance  of  it  as  the  only  prize  of  our  high  calling. 

"  I  am  free  to  admit  that  in  this  hasty  note  I  may  have  been 
much  mistaken.  I  do  not  claim  to  be  more  zealous  in  the  public 
service  nor  more  patriotic  than  my  neighbors;  certainly  not  wiser 
than  my  colleagues.  To  your  better  judgment  I  defer  implicitly. 
But  my  absence  from  the  Council  to-day  annoyed  me,  supposing, 
as  I  did,  that  some  of  the  matters  here  referred  to  might  be  dis- 
cussed in  it.  I  took  this  mode  of  saying  what  I  probably  would 
have  said  if  I  had  been  with  you. 

"  I  am,  most  respectfully  yours,  etc. 
"  THE  PRESIDENT." 

Meanwhile  other  influences  had  been  at  work.  The  General 
Assembly  of  Virginia  had  instituted  the  "  Peace  Convention," 
and  by  a  concurrent  vote  had  appointed  Ex-President  John  Tyler 
a  commissioner  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  Judge 
John  Robertson  to  South  Carolina  and  other  seceding  States,  to 
request  that,  pending  the  proceedings  of  the  Convention,  they 
should  abstain  from  all  acts  calculated  to  produce  a  collision  of 
arms.  When  Ex-President  Tyler  arrived  in  Washington,  the  Presi- 
dent, in  anticipation  of  his  visit  to  him,  requested  his  Secretary  of 
State  to  call  upon  him  informally.  Accompanied  by  Mr.  Stanton, 
Judge  Black  called  upon  the  Ex-President.  He  found  him 
anxious  and  excited.  Scarcely  were  the  ordinary  greetings  over 
when  the  Ex-President  said:  "  What  are  you  doing  here  with  all 
these  preparations;  are  you  going  to  make  war?  Nothing  could 
be  more  exciting  to  the  Southern  people  than  these  preparations. 
I  have  come  here  for  peace."  The  conversation  was  interrupted, 
and  the  visit  soon  after  terminated,  Judge  Black  thinking  that 
what  Mr.  Tyler  had  to  say  had  better,  in  his  frame  of  mind, 
be  said  to  the  President  himself.* 

On  the  23d  of  January  the  Commissioners  arrived  inWashington, 
and  upon  the  following  day  presented  the  resolution  of  Virginia 
to  the  President,  urging  upon  him  at  the  same  time  "  to  become  a 
party  "  to  the  proposed  agreement.  The  President  declined.  He 
informed  the  Commissioner  that  he  had  in  "  no  manner  changed 
his  views,"  that  he  could  give  no  pledges;  it  was  his  duty  to 


*  Judge  Black  to  writer. 


244  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

enforce  the  laws;  and  that  the  whole  power  rested  with  Congress. 
On  the  z8th  of  January  he  transmitted  a  message  to  Congress  at 
the  same  time  with  the  Virginia  resolution.  The  same  views 
in  regard  to  the  powers  of  the  Executive  that  he  had  expressed 
to  the  Senators  from  the  seceding  States,  and  also  to  the  envoy 
from  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  were  repeated,  and  he  again 
asserted  that  "  defense,  and  not  aggression  "  had  been  the  policy 
of  his  administration  from  the  beginning.  That  while  he  could 
not  enter  into  the  engagement  as  proposed,  he  cordially  recom- 
mended to  Congress  to  abstain  from  passing  any  law  producing  a 
collision  of  arms  whilst  the  proceedings  contemplated  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia  were  in  progress.  But  Congress 
took  no  action  whatever  in  the  matter,  which  impressed  unfav- 
orably the  people  of  Virginia.  In  the  Senate  the  question  of 
printing  them  was  discussed  until  the  2ist  of  February,  when  the 
subject  was  dropped,  and  in  the  House,  after  a  motion  "  to  refer 
and  print "  them,  they  were  not  again  noticed. 

The  Commissioner  to  South  Carolina  proceeded  at  once  upon 
his  mission,  and  on  the  28th  of  January  the  Governor,  in  a  mes- 
sage to  the  South  Carolina  Legislature,  presented  the  resolutions 
of  Virginia.  The  object  of  the  resolutions  was  to  induce  the 
State  to  send  on  Commissioners  to  meet  others  from  Virginia 
and  from  the  other  States  who  might  agree  to  send  them,  on  the  4th 
of  February,  at  Washington,  for  the  purpose  of  agreeing  upon 
some  suitable  adjustment  of  the  "  great  issues  "  made  in  the 
Confederacy.  The  proposition  was  coldly  received  by  the  authori- 
ties, and  with  violent  feeling  by  the  press.  The  Governor  recalls  the 
failure  of  Virginia  to  respond  to  a  similar  call  made  by  South 
Carolina  through  a  Commissioner  sent  by  her,  making  an  urgent  ap- 
peal upon  Virginia  to  step  forward  and  "devise  some  plan  upon  which 
the  States  immediately  concerned  might  act  together,"  save  their 
rights,  and  yet  preserve  the  common  Constitution  as  a  blessing  for 
all  the  States.  Had  this  been  done  at  that  time,  he  thought, 
something  might  have  been  accomplished  to  secure  new  guarantees 
and  protection  in  a  common  Union.  A  general  indictment  against 
the  Northern  States  was  recited  by  the  Governor,  who  asserted 
that  the  result  of  the  recent  election  was  to  put  into  power  a 
party  and  a  President,"  with  open  and  avowed  principles  of  deep 
and  settled  hostility  "  and  pledged  to  the  final  extermination  of 
institutions  essential  to  them  and  to  the  peace  of  their  society. 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  S.  C.  LEGISLATURE. 


245 


With  the  most  profound  respect  for  the  State  of  Virginia,  he  does 
not  see  how  South  Carolina  could  agree  to  send  Commissioners 
to  Washington  to  meet  Commissioners  from  the  Northern  and 
Southern  States,  as  it  might  result  in  only  greater  difficulty  and 
confusion.  But  he  submits  the  matter  to  the  wisdom  and  decision 
of  the  Legislature,  at  the  same  time  calling  their  attention  to  the 
fact  that  delegates  had  been  appointed  by  the  State  Convention 
to  meet  on  the  4th  of  February,  with  similar  delegates  appointed 
by  other  seceding  States.  He  thought  that  it  would  thus  "be 
obviously  impolitic  "  to  send  delegates  to  Washington  appointed 
for  the  same  day  to  meet  the  States  of  the  North,  with  any  view 
to  preserve  or  to  reconstruct  the  Federal  Union  with  them,  when 
South  Carolina  had  agreed  first  to  meet  the  seceding  States,  to 
whom  she  owed  her  deepest  obligation,  and  to  whom  she  was 
bound  by  every  tie  to  make  no  compromises  until  a  separate  and 
independent  Union  with  them  had  been  formed. 

The  action  of  the  South  Carolina  Legislature  was  immediate.  On 
the  28th  of  January  the  Senate  resolved,  unanimously,  while  ac- 
knowledging the  friendly  motives  which  had  inspired  the  mission  to 
the  State,  that  candor  which  was  due  to  Virginia  induced  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  to  declare,  with  frankness,  that  they  did  not  deem  it 
advisable  to  "  initiate  negotiations,  when  they  had  no  desire  nor 
intention  to  promote  the  ultimate  object  in  view,"  which  was  to 
procure  "  amendments  or  new  guarantees  to  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States;"  that  the  separation  of  the  State  was  final, 
and  that  she  had  no  further  interest  in  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  that  the  only  appropriate  negotiations  were  as 
to  their  mutual  relations  as  foreign  States;  that  the  most  solemn 
pledges  of  the  Government  had  been  disregarded,  and  an  attempt 
made  to  introduce  troops  into  one  of  the  forts,  "  concealed  in  the 
hold  of  a  vessel  of  commerce,"  and  with  a  view  to  the  subjugation 
of  the  people  of  the  State,  and  that  another  vessel  with  troops  and 
munitions  of  war  had  been  sent  South  "  since  the  authorities  at 
Washington  had  been  informed  of  the  present  mediation  of  Vir- 
ginia."* 

Under  these  circumstances  the  General  Assembly  declined 
to  enter  into  the  proposed  negotiations.  These  resolutions  were 


*  Resolutions  of  the  Legislature,  Executive  Document  No.  4.    Governor's 
message  and  correspondence.    Charleston,  1861. 


246  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

at  once  sent  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  South  Carolina, 
and  were  concurred  in  by  that  body  the  same  day. 

On  the  29th  of  January,  the  Commissioner  informed  the 
Governor  that  the  news  of  the  sailing  of  the  Brooklyn  had 
determined  him  not  to  press  a  reply  to  his  note;  that  it  had 
been  arranged  between  Ex-President  Tyler  and  himself  that  they 
should  endeavor  to  get  from  the  Government  at  Washington  and 
the  authorities  of  the  seceding  States  "  mutual  assurances  "  that 
would  be  reciprocally  binding,  that  no  act  should  be  committed 
which  was  calculated  to  produce  hostilities  during  the  period 
indicated  by  Virginia.  He  had,  on  the  28th,  received  from 
Ex-President  Tyler  a  despatch  informing  him  that  the  President 
declined  to  give  a  written  pledge,  nor  did  he  understand  that  he 
proposed  to  give  a  verbal  one.* 

It  seemed  wholly  unnecessary,  under  the  circumstances — as 
the  State  has  declined  to  send  delegates — if  not  unreasonable,  to 
make  such  request  of  the  State.  He  considered  his  mission  as 
terminated,  but  would  willingly  be  the  bearer  of  any  response  the 
State  might  see  fit  to  make. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Secretary  of  State  of  South  Carolina, 
in  inclosing  a  copy  of  the  resolution  passed  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly to  the  Commissioners,  informs  him  that  the  refusal  of  the 
President  was  not  unexpected  by  the  Governor,  and  that  he  might 
now  understand  thoroughly  the  motives  of  the  authorities  of  the 
State  in  not  relying  upon  assurances.  To  that  evidence  it  was  not 
necessary  for  the  Governor  to  add  anything,  and  he  was  satisfied 
that  the  State  of  Virginia  would  receive  his  report  in  the  proper 
spirit. 

But  the  Commissioner  of  Virginia  to  the  President  did  not 
cease  in  his  efforts  to  accomplish  the  object  of  his  mission. 
Although  some  days  had  passed  since  the  President  had  declined 
to  enter  into  any  pledges  restricting  his  action  in  regard  to  Fort 
Sumter,  the  Commissioner  on  the  yth  of  February  despatched 
to  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  the  following  telegram: 

"  WASHINGTON,  yth  February. 

"  To  GOVERNOR  PICKENS:  Can  my  voice  reach  you  ?  If  so, 
do  not  attack  Fort  Sumter.  You  know  my  sincerity.  The 
Virginia  delegates  here  earnestly  unite. 

(Signed)  "JOHN  TYLER." 

*  Executive  Document  No  4.     Charleston,  1861, 


ACTION  OF  EX-PRESIDENT  TYLER. 


247 


And  again  on  the  same  date,  to  Judge  Robertson,  at  Mont- 
gomery, Ala. :  "  Hayne  has  returned.  Prevent,  if  possible,  col- 
lision. It  is  of  great  importance  to  results  here." 

The  answer  of  the  Governor  was  immediate.  In  consequence  of 
the  appeal  of  Virginia,  he  was  willing  to  await  the  result  as  long  as  he 
could  consistently,  but  while  Sumter  was  held  with  a  view  to  their 
subjugation,  even  Virginia  would  refuse.  He  would  decide  when 
he  knew  the  exact  grounds  upon  which  the  President  acted. 

Not  satisfied,  however,  with  the  response  of  the  Governor,  Mr. 
Tyler  again  telegraphed,  on  the  gth,  that  the  President  directed 
him  to  say  that  the  letter  to  Colonel  Hayne  was  designed  to  be 
both  respectful  and  kind,  and  that  he  so  considered  it,  but  that 
he  "complained  much"  of  Colonel  Hayne's  last  letter  and  mani- 
fested "great  solicitude"  on  the  point.  And  he  repeats  his  inquiry 
as  to  the  assurance  to  be  given  by  the  Governor  that  no  attack 
should  be  made,  provided  that  the  President  would  give  a  like 
assurance  that  no  reinforcements  would  be  sent. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  again  responds.  He  acknowl- 
edges the  receipt  of  the  telegrams  sent  him,  and  says  that  the 
letter  of  Secretary  Holt  was  then  under  consideration;  that  no 
pledge  could  be  given  unless  officially  informed  of  some  proposal 
from  the  President,  but  that  his  course  might  be  controlled  by  the 
direction  given  by  the  provisional  Government  at  Montgomery, 
should  they  assume  such  direction  in  reference  to  Fort  Sumter; 
and  that  everything  that  could  consistently  be  done  to  avoid  col- 
lision and  bloodshed  would  be  the  purpose  of  the  authorities  in 
South  Carolina. 

On  the  1 8th  of  February,  Mr  Tyler  again  telegraphs  to 
Governor  Pickens.  He  informs  him  that  the  President  is 
startled  by  information,  considered  to  be  reliable,  and  coming 
indirectly  from  a  former  Member  of  Congress  from  South  Caff>- 
lina,  assuring  him  that  Fort  Sumter  would  be  taken  on  or  before 
the  4th  of  March,  "  without  reference  to  what  the  Montgomery 
Government  mighf  advise  or  order  on  the  subject;"  and  Mr. 
Tyler  asks  that  the  Government  would  quiet  the  President  by  his 
reply. 

Meantime,  the  Governor  was  kept  constantly  advised  of  what 
was  transpiring  in  Washington  in  reference  to  Fort  Sumter.  On 
the  2oth  of  February,  Senator  Wigf all  telegraphed  to  him  as  follows: 
"Attempt  to  reinforce  Anderson  by  stealth  at  night  in  small 


248  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

boats  determined."     And  such  information,  oftentimes  mistaken, 
was  sent  constantly  to  Charleston. 

The  Governor  had  long  felt  the  weight  of  the  responsibility 
resting  upon  him  and  the  necessity  for  action,  and  towards  the 
close  of  February  he  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the  Confederate 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  at  Montgomery: 

"  Received  your  telegram  to-day.  But  am  sure  if  you  do  not 
act  immediately  and  appoint  a  commander-in-chief  to  take 
charge,  it  will  be  too  late.  Act  quickly,  now,  or  I  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  act.  Send  your  Commissioners  on  to  Washington  now, 
right  off,  and  telegraph  me,  or  it  will  be  beyond  your  control. 
Things  look  bad  in  Washington.  "  F.  W.  P." 

The  mission  of  Mr.  Hayne  had  terminated  in  such  fashion 
that  the  Governor  sent  a  message  to  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives on  the  i gth  of  January,  saying  that  as  the  Convention  had 
expressly  reserved  to  itself  the  power  to  make  treaty  and  to 
declare  war,  the  final  report  of  Hayne  might  render  it  proper  for 
him  to  reconvene  the  Convention.  Meantime,  the  question  of 
reinforcing  Fort  Sumter  was  under  constant  discussion  in  the 
Cabinet  at  Washington.  A  council  consisting  of  Secretaries  Holt 
and  Toucey,  Lieutenant  General-Scott,  and  Commander  Ward 
of  the  Navy,  after  several  consultations,  had,  with  the  knowledge 
of  the  President,  determined  upon  a  plan  approved  by  General 
Scott,  which  seemed  to  offer  the  best  chances  of  success.  It 
was  to  be  quietly  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy;  it  was  to  consist  of  four  small  steamers  to  be 
borrowed  from  the  Treasury  Department,  and  was  to  sail  from 
New  York  under  the  command  of  Commander  Ward  of  the  Navy, 
an  intimate  friend  of  the  Secretary.  This  officer  was  empowered 
to  select  his  officers  and  men,  and  the  expedition  was  to  sail  the 
following  night  after  the  receipt  of  the  telegram  from  the  Secre- 
tary directing  the  movement.  He  was  to  enter  the  harbor  of 
Charleston  in  the  night  and  anchor  under  the  guns  of  Fort 
Sumter,  if  possible. 

Another  proposition  for  the  relief  of  Sumter  was  made  by 
Captain  Gustavus  V.  Fox,  who  early  in  January,  after  the  result 
of  the  expedition  of  the  Star  of  the  West  had  become  known,  had 
submitted  a  plan  in  writing,  for  the  relief  of  Fort  Sumter,  to  a 
friend  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  to  whom  it  was  shown,  and 
who  at  once  gave  it  his  approval. 


CAPTAIN  FOX'S  PLAN  OF  RELIEF. 


249 


Captain  Fox  had  been  an  officer  of  the  Navy  for  nineteen 
years.  A  thorough  and  accomplished  sailor,  he  had  early  seen 
the  necessity  of  prompt  and  vigorous  action,  and  he  submitted  a 
plan  of  relief  which,  had  it  been  promptly  resorted  to,  would  at 
that  time  have  had  every  chance  of  success.  The  sole  reward 
asked  by  Captain  Fox  was  to  be  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
expedition.  His  plan  was  at  once  simple  and  efficient.  The 
troops  and  provisions  were  to  be  placed  on  board  a  large  sea 
steamer,  preferably  the  Collins  steamer  Baltic,  which  was  to 
carry  three  hundred  extra  sailors  and  enough  armed  launches  to 
land  all  the  troops  in  one  night.  Two  powerful  light-draught  tug- 
boats, their  machinery  protected  by  cotton-bales  or  hay,  which 
would  shield  it  from  grape  or  fragments  of  shells,  were  to  be 
used  to  transport  the  troops  and  provisions  from  the  bar;  the  men 
below,  the  provisions  on  deck.  The  whole  to  be  convoyed  by  the 
United  States  sloop  of  war  Pawnee,  drawing  twelve  feet  of  water 
and  carrying  seven  guns,  the  only  available  steam  vessel  north  of 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  As  a  steamer,  she  was  a  failure,  but 
Captain  Fox  thought  she  might  answer  in  the  emergency,  as  she 
was  "  unfortunately  the  only  resource."  She  was  to  protect  the 
transports  and  tugs  from  any  attack  of  the  enemy,  and  to  serve 
as  a  base  of  operations.  The  batteries  were  to  be  run  at  night 
by  the  tugs,  and  the  barbette  guns  of  the  work  were  relied  upon 
to  keep  the  channel  between  the  islands  free  from  hostile  vessels 
while  entering.  If  perfectly  calm,  boats  were  to  be  used.  The 
plan  of  Captain  Fox  was  also  endorsed  by  Mr.  G.  W.  Blunt,  Mr. 
Chas.  H.  Marshall  and  Russell  Sturgis  of  New  York,  and  Mr. 
Marshall  agreed  to  furnish  or  provision  the  vessels  without  pub- 
licity. 

On  the  4th  of  February  Captain  Fox  was  summoned  to 
Washington  by  General  Scott  by  telegram,  as  he  had  also  been  by 
letter  that  failed  to  reach  him.  The  whole  subject  was  fully 
discussed  in  the  General's  presence  on  the  following  day.  The 
proposition  made  by  Lieutenant  N.  J.  Hall,  one  of  Major 
Anderson's  officers,  who  had  been  sent  to  Washington  by  Major 
Anderson  after  the  demand  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort  on  the 
nth  of  January,  that  a  steamer  should  go  in  protected  by  a  vessel 
on  each  side  loaded  with  hay,  was  pronounced  impracticable. 

The  plan  of  Captain  Fox  was  approved  by  General  Scott,  who 
presented  him  to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  yth  of  February, 


250  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  whom  Captain  Fox  explained  his  project  and  who  agreed  to 
submit  it  to  the  President  that  evening.  On  the  20th  of  February 
Lieutenant-General  Scott  directed  his  aide-de-camp  in  New  York 
(Lieutenant-Colonel  H.  L.  Scott)  to  put  himself  into  communi- 
cation with  Commander  Ward,  to  see  what  recruits  and  what 
stores  he  would  want,  and  to  see  that  everything  was  supplied  for 
Major  Anderson's  needs.  At  the  same  time,  a  memorandum  made 
by  Lieutenant  Hall,  of  the  articles  required  at  Fort  Sumter,  was 
sent  to  Colonel  Scott  with  directions  to  supply  them,  and  as  large 
a  supply  of  subsistence  as  Commander  Ward  could  take.  All 
was  prepared  and  the  expedition  made  ready  for  sea.  But 
Mr.  Buchanan  had  again  changed  his  purpose.  On  the  8th  the 
news  of  the  formation  of  a  provisional  Government  at  Montgomery 
by  the  seceding  States  had  reached  Washington.  While  the 
President  declined  to  enter  into  any  pledges  in  regard  to  the 
sending  of  reinforcements  to  Fort  Sumter,  he  considered  "the 
truce  "  established  by  Major  Anderson  as  binding,  and  as  restrain- 
ing him  from  sending  such  reinforcements.  He  determined  also 
to  respect  the  appeal  made  by  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia. 
The  negotiations  between  the  envoy  and  the  Government  were  yet 
in  progress,  and  Major  Anderson  had  not  asked  for  reinforcements, 
and  the  authorities  of  the  State  seemed  equally  inclined  to  suspend 
immediate  action.  He  therefore  deemed  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
refrain  from  any  action  which  might  precipitate  a  crisis,  and  the 
expedition  under  Commander  Ward,  which  had  been  determined 
upon,  was  in  consequence  not  sent.  This  determination  of  the 
President  was  the  cause  of  "great  disappointment  and  astonish- 
ment" to  General  Scott,  who  so  expressed  himself  to  Captain  Fox 
on  the  8th  of  February.  General  Scott  believed  that  up  to  the 
1 2th  of  February  it  was  easy  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter,  and  that  the 
expedition  of  Commander  Ward  would  have  been  successful,  and 
that  he  would  have  been  able  to  reach  Sumter  "  with  all  his  ves- 
sels." In  a  communication  to  the  incoming  President  on  the  3d  of 
March,  it  was  stated  by  General  Scott  that  the  expedition  under 
Commander  Ward  "  was  kept  back"  by  something  like  a  truce  or 
armistice,  which  was  established  between  President  Buchanan  and 
the  "principal  seceders,"  and  which  lasted  until  the  end  of 
Mr.  Buchanan's  administration.  To  this  the  President  took 
exception,  and  asserted  that  the  truce  was  made  by  Major 
Anderson  himself,  and  that  it  expired  on  the  5th  of  February,  when 


CAPTAIN  FOX  URGES  HIS  PLAN. 


251 


the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt,  announced  to  the  South  Carolina 
Commissioner,  Mr.  Hayne,  the  refusal  of  the  President  to  sur- 
render Fort  Sumter  under  any  circumstances.*  The  President 
characterized  the  strictures  of  General  Scott  as  "  unfounded  and 
unjust."  In  his  communication  no  reference  is  made  by  General 
Scott  to  the  existence  of  the  truce  between  Major  Anderson  and 
the  Governor  of  South  Carolina.* 

On  the  2ist  of  February  it  was  announced  in  the  public  press 
that  it  was  determined  by  the  Government  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter 
by  boats  at  night,  although  in  a  telegram  to  a  friend  Lieutenant- 
Genera]  Scott  had  expressed  his  belief  that  this  plan  of  Captain 
Fox  had  been  "  adjourned." 

This  statement  was  made  the  subject  of  a  communication  to 
the  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair  by  his  relative,  Captain  Fox,  in  which 
the  impracticability  of  the  plan  by  open  boats,  its  danger  and  the 
publicity  given  to  it,  were  shown.  It  would  now  be  anticipated, 
and  he  renews  and  specifies  more  particularly  his  own  proposition. 

On  the  ist  of  March  it  was  discovered  that  the  Charleston 
authorities  had  opened  negotiations  in  New  York  for  the  pur- 
chase of  two  of  the  same  tugboats  that  Captain  Fox  had  selected 
as  the  only  suitable  ones  for  the  work  in  the  city,  and  he 
thought  that  the  probability  of  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Sumter 
would  be  greatly  lessened  by  this  action.  The  tugs  had  been  put 
in  order,  although  his  plan  had  been  suspended,  but  relying  upon 
the  endorsement  of  General  Scott,  Captain  Fox  again  urged  the 
consideration  of  his  plan. 


*  "  Buchanan's  Administration." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

President  Buchanan's  views  as  to  the  coercive  powers  of  the  Government — Con- 
gress meets — President's  message  of  December  2— Review  of  the  political 
situation— Recommendations — Denies  any  danger  to  Southern  rights -No 
right  as  President  to  decide  re'ations  between  Government  and  State — 
Secession  not  the  right  of  a  State  -  Congress  no  constitutional  right  to 
coerce  State  attempting  Secession — Recommends  "explanatory  amend- 
ment," recognizing  property  in  slaves  and  their  protection  in  the  Terri- 
tories—Message disappoints  Southern  leaders —Congress  neglects  to  act — 
President  fends  special  message  on  January  8  —Reiterates  his  position  and 
views — Reasons  for  not  reinforcing  Major  Anderson — Jefferson  Da  vis's 
opinion  of  the  message— Senate  refuse  to  confirm  Collector  for  Charleston, 
S.  C. — Crittenden  amendment — Endorsed  by  the  President— Amended  by 
wholly  different  resolution— Original  proposition  defeated— Peace  Conven- 
tion of  Virginia  -Efforts  to  effect  a  settlement — Series  of  amendments 
offered — Propositions  made — Mr.  Critttenden  adopts  a  proposition  in  pref- 
erence to  his  own — Senate  rejects  it— Cotton  States  pass  ordinances  of 
Secession — Seize  the  public  property— Congress  relies  upon  time  and  the 
incoming  administration. 

A  DISCIPLE  of  the  school  of  Madison  and  of  Jackson,  the 
President  believed  that  the  union  of  the  States  could  not  be  pre- 
served by  the  mere  exertion  of  the  coercive  powers  confided  to 
the  General  Government,  and  he  felt  it  to  be  his  duty,  as  it  was 
his  earnest  wish,  to  exert  all  of  his  constitutional  as  well  as  his 
personal  power  to  avert  the  danger  so  imminently  threatening 
the  nation. 

Congress  had  met  on  the  zd  of  December,  and  to  it  he  trans- 
mitted a  carefully  prepared  message,  in  which  he  reviews  the 
actual  political  situation,  and  makes  certain  recommendations  for 
its  action.*  He  asserts  that  "  the  long-continued  and  intemperate 
interference  of  the  Northern  people  with  slavery  in  the  South  had 
produced  its  natural  effect;"  that  the  sovereign  States  of  the 
South  were  alone  responsible  for  the  existence  of  slavery  within 
their  limits;  and  that  the  North  was  not  responsible,  and  had  no 
right  to  interfere.  He  denies  that  the  rights  of  the  South  are  in 


*  President's  message,  December,  1860. 

952 


PRESIDENT'S  MESSAGE.  253 

danger,  and  affirms  that  Congress  had  never  at  any  time,  by  legis- 
lation, impaired  in  the  slightest  degree  "  the  rights  of  the  South 
to  their  property  in  slaves,  nor  their  equal  rights  in  the  Territories 
to  hold  such  property;  that  the  action  of  different  State  Legisla- 
tures to  defeat  the  execution  of  the  Fugitive-slave  law,  was  uncon- 
stitutional, and  thus  null  and  void;  but  that  the  Southern  States 
had  a  right  to  demand  the  repeal  of  these  "  obnoxious  enact- 
ments," and  if  refused,  the  injured  States,  after  using  all  peaceful 
means  or  redress,  would  be  justified  in  "  revolutionary  resistance." 

He  claims  that,  as  the  Executive,  he  had  no  power  to  decide 
the  relations  which  should  exist  between  the  Federal  Government 
and  South  Carolina,  much  less  to  acknowledge  its  independence; 
that  while  a  State  had  no  right  to  secede  from  the  Union  at  its 
pleasure,  Congress  had  no  constitutional  power  to  coerce  such 
State  which  was  attempting  to  withdraw  or  had  actually  with- 
drawn from  the  Union. 

He  argues,  too,  that  the  property  of  the  United  States  in  South 
Carolina  had  been  bought  with  the  consent  of  the  Legislature  of 
the  State,  and  that  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  gave  to 
it  executive  control;  that  he  did  not  believe  that  any  forcible 
attempt  would  be  made  against  that  property,  but  that  if  such 
should  be  made,  the  officer  in  charge  had  orders  to  act  defen- 
sively.* And  he  recommends,  as  the  one  mode  of  arresting  the 
"headlong  career"  of  the  cotton  States,  that  an  explanatory 
amendment  be  presented  to  the  States,  recognizing  their  property 
in  slaves,  protecting  that  right  in  the  Territories,  while  Territories, 
under  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

In  regard  to  the  performance  of  his  duty,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
under  the  acts  of  1795  an<^  l%°7>  it  was  rendered  nugatory  by  the 
demolition  of  the  whole  machinery  of  the  Federal  Government 
necessary  for  the  distribution  of  remedial  justice,  and  that  it 
would  be  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  replace  it,  but  that  he 
should  collect  the  revenue  and  defend  the  public  property  against 
all  assaults.  The  position  assumed  by  the  President  in  his  mes- 
sage, and  for  which  the  country  had  so  anxiously  waited,  gave 

*  No  money  was  paid  for  the  forts  or  sites  for  forts  in  South  Carolina,  and 
this  statement  of  the  President  gave  rise  to  much  comment  both  in  and  out  of 
Congress.  After  the  cession  of  the  forts  in  1805,  South  Carolina  advanced 
money  to  assist  in  making  repairs  upon  Fort  Moultrie  and  Castle  Pinckney. — 
Charleston  Mercury,  December  22,  1860. 


254  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

rise  to  very  diverse  sentiments.  It  satisfied  neither  of  the  great 
parties  now  definitely  formed  in  the  country.  The  Southern 
leaders  in  Washington  became  reserved  in  their  intercourse  with 
the  President,  at  learning  his  views  on  the  right  of  secession;  and 
although  his  course  had  hitherto  met  their  approval  and  they  had 
implicitly  trusted  him  to  act  in  their  interest,  his  message  disap- 
pointed them,  as  not  going  far  enough  in  the  direction  of  their 
views,  and  one  by  one  they  left  him,  until  his  refusal  to  restore 
the  status  by  the  return  of  Anderson  to  Fort  Moultrie  severed  all 
relations  with  him  at  once  and  finally.  The  ground  laid  down  by 
the  President  in  his  message  of  the  3d  of  December,  while  deny- 
ing the  right  of  secession  to  the  State,  and  denying  equally  the 
right  of  the  General  Government  to  coerce  a  State,  was  popularly 
but  erroneously  attributed  to  the  Attorney- General,  Judge  Black, 
who,  however,  was  not  the  writer  of  it.  The  sentiments  of  the 
message  of  the  8th  of  January,  however,  expressed  the  views  of 
the  Attorney-General,  which  were  adopted  by  the  President. 

Meantime,  Congress  was  in  daily  session,  but  it  seemed  to  be 
impossible  to  obtain  its  consent  to  any  measure,  either  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  President  or  as  originating  among  them- 
selves, which  would  meet  the  impending  revolution  by  concilia- 
tory measures  or  oppose  it  by  force. 

Impatient  at  the  delay,  recognizing  the  fact  that  the  cotton 
States  were  following  each  other  into  secession,  and  conscious  of 
his  own  want  of  power,  either  to  check  or  prevent  it,  the  Presi- 
dent again,  on  the  8th  of  January,  addressed  a  special  message 
to  Congress,  reciting  the  actual  condition  of  affairs  as  in  a  worse 
state  that  at  the  time  of  his  first  message. 

He  states  that  "  recent  reflections  "  had  only  confirmed  him 
in  the  conviction  that  no  State  had  a  right  by  its  own  act  to 
secede  from  the  Union;  that  he,  as  the  President,  had  no  power 
to  recognize  the  exercise  of  such  right  even  if  it  existed,  and  that 
neither  he  nor  Congress  had  any  right  to  make  war  upon  a  State, 
but  that  the  military  force  might  be  used  defensively  against 
those  who  resisted  federal  officers  or  who  assailed  the  Govern- 
ment property  ;  that  the  power  and  the  responsibilities  to  make 
war  or  to  secure  peace  rested  with  Congress  alone.  A  delay  to  adopt 
some  practical  proposition  to  conciliate,  might  render  any  adjust- 
ment impossible.  And  he  concludes  by  stating  that  he  had  deter- 
mined that  no  act  of  his  should  contribute  to  the  excitement;  that 


NO N- ACTION  OF  CONGRESS, 


255 


his  purpose  was  not  to  commence  a  civil  war,  nor  even  to  furnish  an 
excuse  for  it,  and  that  he  had  thus  "  refrained  "  from  reinforcing 
Major  Anderson  in  Charleston  Harbor,  lest  it  might  be  unjustly 
regarded  as  a  menace  of  m  litary  coercion,  and  especially  as  "  no 
necessity  for  these  reinforcements  seemed  to  exist" 

In  this  special  message  the  important  correspondence  between 
the  President  and  the  South  Carolina  Commissioners  was  sub- 
mitted. 

The  President's  message  contained  nothing  new,  and  it  was 
considered  by  Senator  Jefferson  Davis,  as  stated  in  his  speech  the 
following  day,  as  containing  very  little  indeed  beyond  that  which 
the  world,  less  indeed  than  reading  men  generally,  knew  before  it 
was  communicated.  And  he  characterized  the  message  of 
December  as  one  from  which  "  it  was  not  within  the  power  of 
man  to  reach  any  fixed  conclusion." 

By  a  singular  omission  in  the  only  act  passed  by  Congress 
involving  the  question,  that  of  1795,  no  provision  was  made  to 
resist  insurrection  against  the  General  Government  upon  the  part 
of  the  States.  Even  this  important  consideration  received  no 
attention  from  Congress  during  its  entire  session.  A  bill  enab- 
ling the  President  to  call  out  the  militia  for  the  purpose  of 
retaking  the  forts  already  seized,  or  that  might  hereafter  be 
seized,  was  presented  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  but 
immediately  withdrawn  and  recommitted,  and  not  again  referred  to. 

On  the  1 8th  of  February  a  bill  was  introduced,  extending  the 
powers  of  the  President  to  employ  the  militia  in  suppressing 
insurrection  against  the  Government,  and  to  accept  volunteers. 
It  made  no  provision  for  repossessing  the  forts,  and  its  considera- 
tion was  purposely  postponed  until  too  late  to  be  acted  upon,  and 
it  was  thus  defeated;  and  this  action  only  too  plainly  demon- 
strated to  what  an  extent  the  United  States  Senate  was  affected 
by  the  secession  sentiment.  The  Senate  neglected  to  confirm  the 
nomination  of  a  collector  of  customs  for  the  port  of  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  Senator  Jefferson  Davis  having  played  a  conspicuous  part 
in  preventing  any  action.  Nor  was  any  measure  looking  to  the 
collection  of  the  revenue  outside  of  the  closed  ports  by  means  of 
the  Navy  considered  or  passed  during  the  entire  session. 

It  was  not  denied  that  the  President  was  powerless.  No  one 
claimed  that  he  could,  by  virtue  of.  his  office,  make  war,  or  that, 
without  additional  and  special  legislation,  he  could  properly  or 


256  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

efficiently  act;  and  yet  the  Congress  of  1 860-61  simply  and  per- 
sistently refused  to  pass  any  act,  or  to  adopt  any  resolution,  either 
to  preserve  the  Union  by  peaceful  measures  or  to  grant  to  the 
Executive  the  power  of  aggression,  or  to  increase  and  define  his 
power  of  defense. 

The  "  Crittenden  amendment,"  which  was  a  proposition  to 
recognize  the  existence  of  slavery  in  the  Territories  south  of  the 
old  Missouri  Compromise  line,  was  introduced  early  in  the 
session.  It  forbade  any  interference  with  slavery  by  Congress  in 
such  Territories,  and  left  the  question  of  its  continuance  to  be 
decided  by  the  Constitution  of  the  new  State,  formed  from 
such  Territory,  upon  its  admission  as  a  State  into  the  Union. 
The  compromise  thus  offered  seemed  to  meet  the  approval  of 
a  large  majority  of  those  who  still  clung  to  the  Union  of  the 
States. 

It  was,  however,  rejected  by  the  committee  to  whom  it  was 
referred,  who  reported  on  the  3ist  of  December  that  they  had  not 
been  able  to  agree  upon  any  plan  of  adjustment.  It  tolerated 
slavery  in  New  Mexico,  and  no  Republican  supported  it  at  any  time. 
But  the  patriotic  author  of  the  proposition  was  not  discouraged, 
and  he  substituted  for  it  a  joint  resolution  referring  his  amend- 
ment to  a  direct  vote  of  the  people.  Although  this  seemed  to 
meet  popular  approbation,  and  received  also  the  endorsement  of 
the  President,  its  consideration  was  again  and  again  postponed, 
and  when  finally  introduced,  after  much  opposition,  it  was  so 
amended  by  the  substitution  of  another  and  wholly  different  reso- 
lution, in  accordance  with  the  Chicago  platform,  that  the  original 
proposition  was  destroyed  by  it,  and  the  substitute  was  carried  by 
the  fact  that  six  Northern  Senators  had  failed  to  vote  against  it. 
And  at  the  end  of  the  session  the  original  proposition  itself,  when 
presented,  was  defeated  upon  a  direct  vote. 

Meantime,  the  Peace  Convention  called  by  Virginia,  in  a  noble 
effort  to  adjust  the  difficulties  and  to  preserve  the  Union,  had 
met  at  Richmond  on  the  4th  of  February.  It  was  composed  of 
commissioners  from  States  North  and  South  that  were  willing  to 
unite  in  an  effort  to  preserve  the  Union.  The  hopes  of  every 
patriot  were  turned  to  it,  and  it  was  felt  that  nothing  remained 
but  a  rupture  of  the  Union,  should  it  fail  to  accomplish  its  object. 
But  the  cotton  States  had  already  separated  themselves  from  the 
Union,  and  were  about  to  form  a  provisional  Government  of  their 


COTTON  STATES  SECEDE. 


257 


own.  After  much  discussion  and  the  loss  of  valuable  time,  a 
series  of  amendments  were  reported  of  the  same  tenor  and  pur- 
pose, with  the  compromise  measures  proposed  by  Mr.  Crittenden, 
save  that  it  limited  the  provisions  to  the  present  Territories. 

This  amendment  was  at  once  communicated  to  Congress,  and 
an  effort  made  by  the  Commissioners  in  charge  of  it  to  induce 
the  Senate,  by  joint  resolution,  to  propose  it  as  an  amendment  to 
the  Constitution.  This  failed  of  accomplishment,  when  Mr. 
Crittenden  adopted  it  in  preference  to  his  own  proposition,  and 
in  consideration  of  its  origin,  offered  it  to  the  Senate,  which 
rejected  it  by  a  large  majority. 

The  House  of  Representatives  refused  to  permit  its  Speaker 
to  present  the  Amendment  proposed  by  the  Convention  for  its 
consideration,  and  no  copy  of  it  appears  upon  its  Journal.  The 
fate  of  the  original  proposition  of  this  earnest  statesman  has  been 
already  seen,  and  Congress  finally  adjourned  without  passing  a 
single  measure  calculated  to  tranquilize  or  assure  the  dissatisfied, 
of  to  meet  by  force  the  revolutionary  spirit  now  threatening  the 
integrity  and  peace  of  the  country. 

But  long  ere  this,  the  people  of  the  Southern  States  had  ceased 
to  look  to  Congress  for  any  conclusive  measure  of  prevention  or 
reconciliation.  Their  resolution  to  go  into  convention  of  their 
States  and  to  solve  the  difficulties  for  themselves,  had  been  quite 
determined  upon,  and  when,  upon  the  3ist  of  December,  the  Com- 
mittee of  Thirteen  reported  themselves  as  unable  to  agree  upon 
any  plan  of  adjustment,  they  would  wait  no  longer.  On  the  yth 
of  January  action  was  taken  by  Florida,  and  by  the  end  of  the 
month  four  more  of  the  cotton  States  had  passed  the  Ordinance 
of  Secession  by  overwhelming  majorities.  They  were  joined  by 
Texas  on  the  5th  of  February.  The  public  property  within  the 
limits  of  these  States  was  seized,  and,  in  the  case  of  Louisiana,  a 
large  amount  of  public  money  was  removed  from  the  Mint  at 
New  Orleans  before  the  passage  of  the  Ordinance;  nor  has  the 
General  Government  ever  received  afiy  offer  of  indemnity  for  this 
spoliation. 

Congress  adjourned,  leaving  the  status  unaltered  by  statute, 
and  the  President,  with  his  peculiar  views,  helpless.  But  there 
was  a  belief,  notwithstanding  the  threatening  nature  of  the  diffi- 
culties, that  a  peaceable  solution  might  yet  be  attained;  and  with- 
out confidence  in  the  action  of  the  President,  and  uncertain  of  the 


258  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

views  of  the  incoming  administration,  and  unwilling  to  tie  its  hands 
or  to  anticipate  its  action  by  initiating  hostile  measures,  Congress 
seemed  to  trust  alone  to  time  and  to  the  new  administration  shortly 
to  assume  power. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Delegates  from  cotton  States  meet  at  Montgomery,  Ala. — Form  a  provis- 
ional Congress — Executive,  legislative  and  judicial  departments  formed — 
The  United  States  of  America  "a  foreign  country  " — The  establishment 
and  organization  of  the  "  Government  " — Acts  passed— Assumes  control 
of  the  "questions  and  difficulties  "  existing  with  the  General  Government 
— Nature  of  the  Government — General  Convention  not  competent  to 
exigency — Declares  itself  a  provisional  Government  at  first — Exercises  all 
power — Governor  Pickens  seeks  counsel  of  Jefferson  Davis — His  reply — 
Writes  again  on  the  2oth  of  January — His  letter — Governor  Pickens  consults 
the  Governor  of  Georgia — His  reply — Threatened  attack  upon  Sumter — 
Mr.  Robert  Toombs  urges  against  the  attack,  except  with  sanction  of  "  our 
joint  Government" — Reply  of  Governor  Pickens — Recommends  the 
appointment  of  a  commander-in-chief — Counsels  that  the  "  Congress  " 
should  indicate  jurisdiction — His  views  and  arguments — Thinks  on 
1 2th  of  February  that  he  is  prepared  to  take  Fort  Sumter — Asks  if  he 
shall  await  orders,  or  act  himself — Jefferson  Davis— Provisional  President 
of  new  Government — Appoints  a  general  officer  for  Charleston — Governor 
applies  for  a  "skilled  engineer" — Captain  Whiting  sent— His  adverse 
report — Work  at  Cummings  Point  pushed  steadily  on. 

WHILE  inaction  and  hesitation  seemed  to  characterize  the  pro- 
ceedings of  Congress,  and  which  the  President  regarded  as  favor- 
able to  him  in  the  position  he  had  taken,  there  was  no  illusion  as 
to  the  course  of  those  States  that,  as  far  as  their  own  act  could 
accomplish  it,  had  now  separated  themselves  from  the  Federal 
Union.  Hardly  had  the  last  of  the  cotton  States  passed  the  Ordi- 
nance of  Secession,  when  on  the  4th  of  February  the  Commis- 
sioners appointed  by  the  several  State  conventions,  met  in  session 
at  Montgomery,  Ala.  These  State  conventions  had  sent  their 
ablest  men,  many  of  them  well  known  to  the  country  at 
large,  and  whose  lives  were  characterized  by  devotion  to  Southern 
sentiment  and  to  Southern  interest.  An  abundant  material  was 
thus  supplied,  from  which  was  drawn  an  array  of  executive  ability 
that  gave  life  to  every  department  of  the  new  Government,  and 
that  in  determined  and  deliberate  concert  did  not  hesitate  to  act. 

The  provisional  Congress  had  no  sooner  assembled  than  it  at 
once  began  the  passage  of  resolutions  and  of  acts  entitled  "  By 

259 


26O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  Confederate  States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled."  The 
varied  and  complicated  machinery  of  an  established  government 
was  promptly  organized  and  the  officers  to  direct  it  chosen.  The 
executive,  legislative  and  judicial  departments  were  provided 
for  and  set  in  motion,  and  the  salaries  of  the  Cabinet  officers 
regulated. 

To  a  Congress  thus  composed,  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica became  a  "  foreign  country,"  and  a  measure  enforcing  the 
"existing  revenue  laws  against  all  foreign  countries  "  except  the 
State  of  Texas  was  promptly  adopted.* 

A  resolution  for  the  appointment  of  three  commissioners  by  the 
"  President-elect,"  to  be  sent  to  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  "  to  settle  questions  of  disagreement  between 
the  two  Governments,"  was  adopted  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  ses- 
sion. A  department  of  State  was  organized,  and  a  "  great 
seal "  provided  for,  and  its  uses  prescribed.  On  one  and  the  same 
day  the  Treasury,  War  and  Navy  departments  were  called  into 
existence  and  a  Department  of  Justice  authorized.  The  estab- 
lishment and  organization  of  a  general  staff  for  the  Army  of  the 
Confederate  States  was  resolved  upon,  and  before  the  month  of 
February  had  closed  provision  had  been  made  to  raise  money  for 
the  support  of  the  Government,  and  to  provide  for  the  defense  of 
the  Confederate  States,  to  raise  provisional  forces,  and  to  accept 
the  service  of  volunteers. 

Early  in  March,  acts  were  passed  to  provide  for  the  public 
defense,  so  as  to  maintain  the  rightful  possession  of  the  Confeder- 
ate States  in  every  portion  of  territory  belonging  to  each  State. 
The  President  was  authorized  to  accept  the  service  of  100,000 
volunteers.  On  the  6th  of  March,  the  establishment  and  organi- 
zation of  an  army  was  provided  for,  and  in  a  subsequent  act 
provision  was  made  for  its  support.  And  thus  within  a  month 
from  the  time  at  which  it  had  assembled  at  Montgomery,  a 
Government  fully  officered,  and  with  every  attribute  of  national 
power  and  supported  by  its  people,  had  sprung  into  existence 
within  the  limits  of  the  old  Union,  prepared  to  defend  to  the  last 
extremity  the  position  it  had  taken.  "  Jefferson  Davis  has 
created  a  nation,"  said  Mr.  Gladstone  in  his  place  in  Parliament, 
and  a  nation  was  thus  seemingly  formed,  "  because  each  State 


*  Acts  of  the  Provisional  Congress,  1861. 


PROVISIONAL  CONGRESS  FORMED.  261 

possessed  within  itself  an  established  and  organized  Government, 
under  the  influence  of  which  right  was  maintained  and  wrong 
redressed.  A  remarkable  change  in  the  political  government  of 
this  people  was  thus  accomplished  without  the  slightest  disturb- 
ance of  their  social  condition,  and  without  the  slightest  exhibi- 
tion of  license  or  tendency  to  anarchy."*  The  secret  strength  that 
lies  in  the  complete  and  distinct  organization  of  tlje  States  as 
separate  communities,  and  upon  which  our  whole  Federal  system 
of  government  relies,  was  appealed  to,  and  used  to  whatever  suc- 
cess was  attained  in  the  new  movement.  But  from  its  nature,  as 
well  as  from  its  organization,  the  Congress  found  itself  at  once 
obliged  to  assume  the  immediate  control  of  questions  whose 
solution  involved  the  question  of  peace  or  war  to  the  Confeder- 
acy, and  accordingly,  upon  the  1 2th  of  February,  within  one  week 
of  its  organization,  it  took  under  its  charge  the  "  questions  and 
difficulties"  existing  "  between  the  several  States  of  this  Con- 
federacy and  the  United  States  of  America  relating  to  the  occu- 
pation of  forts  "  and  other  public  establishments.  Upon  the  28th 
of  February,  in  the  act  to  raise  provisional  forces  and  "  to  enable 
the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States  to  maintain  its  juris- 
diction over  all  questions  of  peace  and  war,"  the  "President" 
was  authorized  to  assume  control  of  all  military  operations  in 
every  State,  in  questions  between  them  and  powers  foreign  to 
them.  Under  this  act,  provision  for  the  support  of  3,000  men 
for  twelve  months,  to  be  called  into  service  at  Charleston, 
was  made,  as  well  as  an  appropriation  for  2,000  additional 
troops  whenever  in  the  discretion  of  "  the  President  "  their  serv- 
ices might  be  required  at  Charleston. 

The  action  of  the  provisional  Congress  in  thus  assuming  the 
control  of  the  "  questions  and  difficulties  "  existing  between  any 
State  and  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  had  immediate 
reference  to  the  actual  condition  of  affairs  at  Charleston  and  in 
Florida.  Although  the  probability  of  such  action  had  been 
anticipated  by  some  of  those  in  power  in  South  Carolina,  if  not 
invited  directly  by  the  Governor,  the  passage  of  the  resolution  by 
the  provisional  Congress  gave  rise  to  considerable  feeling,  and  to 
an  extended  discussion  in  the  Convention  and  among  the  people. 

In  sending  their  delegates  to  Montgomery,  it  was  understood 

*  "Representative  Men  of  the  South."— Sketch  of  Magrath. 


262  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

to  be  the  wish  of  the  Convention  of  South  Carolina  that  a  pro- 
visional Government  should  be  first  promptly  organized  and  set 
in  motion;  to  be  followed*  at  once  by  the  establishment  of  a  per- 
manent Government,  and  that  this  being  accomplished,  the  dele- 
gates should  return  to  their  State  conventions.  It  was  to  be 
understood  that  the  assembled  delegates  were  not  the  Legislature, 
nor  were  they  to  administer  the  Government,  but  to  remain  a 
Convention  only.*  , 

The  presentation  of  these  views  was  met  by  earnest  opposition 
from  the  deputies  from  Alabama,  Louisiana  and  Georgia,  who 
urged  that  a  return  of  the  deputies  to  their  Convention  "  or  to  the 
people  "  would  hazard  the  fate  of  the  whole  movement;  that  they 
had  not  so  interpreted  the  resolution  cf  South  Carolina,  and  that 
their  Conventions  had  conferred  full  power.  This  view  was  sup- 
ported earnestly  also  by  Florida,  thus  rendering  it  probable  that 
Mississippi  would  be  the  only  State  that  would  support  the 
peculiar  view  taken  by  South  Carolina.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, the  deputies  from  South  Carolina  yielded,  and  so  reported 
to  the  Governor  of  their  State,  expressing  the  concurrent  opinion 
of  the  entire  delegation  except  two  (Mr.  Barnwell  and  Mr.  Rhett). 

It  soon  became  manifest  that  the  general  Convention,  as  such, 
was  not  competent  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  situation,  nor  to 
grapple  successfully  with  the  events  now  pressing  upon  them  with 
startling  rapidity.  It  was  therefore  determined  "  that  the  Con- 
vention should  declare  itself  the  Congress  of  a  provisional  Gov- 
ernment," that  it  should  act  and  should  so  exercise  the  powers  of 
such  Government  until  a  permanent  establishment  under  a  new 
Constitution  could  be  organized  and  a  new  Government  inaugu- 
rated under  it.  It  was  in  fact  "  the  Constituent  Assembly,"  and 
meantime  the  provisional  Congress  was  the  sole  power  for  the 
"  embryo  Confederacy."  "  It  exercised  all  the  functions  of  Gov- 
ernment, executive  as  well  as  legislative,  and  it  held  back  and  res- 
trained the  State  of  South  Carolina  from  an  attack  on  Fort  Sumter, 
until  the  Confederate  Government  was  in  a  condition  to  act."f 

It  was  during  this  transition  state  that  a  very  general  impres- 
sion if  not  a  conviction  prevailed,  that  an  immediate  assault  upon 
Fort  Sumter  was  threatened  by  the  authorities  of  South  Carolina. 


*  Letter  of  Mr.  Porcher  Miles,  February  10,  1861. 

t  Judicial  decision.    Judge  I.  M.  Clayton,  7th  Judicial  District,  1866. 


LETTER  OF  MR.  JEFFERSON  DAVIS.  263 

Even  since  the  entrance  of  Major  Anderson  into  that  work,  and 
the  refusal  of  the  General  Government  to  transfer  his  command 
to  Fort  Moultrie,  the  question  of  its  reduction  and  possession  had 
presented  itself  incessantly  and  with  accumulated  force  to  the 
people  and  authorities  of  South  Carolina.  Distrusting  his  own 
judgment,  impatient  of  the  pressure  brought  upon  him,  the  Exec- 
utive of  the  State  had  sought  counsel  from  without,  and  having 
previously  addressed  a  communication  to  Senator  Jefferson  Davis, 
then  in  his  seat  as  a  Senator  from  Mississippi,  he  received  from 
him  a  reply  on  the  i3th  of  January. 

He  says  that  he  was  unable  to  place  any  confidence  in  the 
adherence  of  the  administration  to  a  "fixed  line  of  policy;" 
that  the  general  tendency  was  to  hostile  measures,  and  that  it 
was  necessary  to  prepare  to  meet  them;  and  that  he  took  it  for 
granted  that  the  time  allowed  to  the  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  had 
been  diligently  employed  by  "  yourselves,"  "  so  that  before  you 
could  be  driven  out  of  your  earthworks,  you  will  be  able  to  cap- 
ture the  fort  which  commands  them."  He  argues  against  the  shut- 
ting up  of  the  garrison  with  the  view  to  starve  them  into  submis- 
sion, as  such  action  would  create  a  sympathy  much  greater  than 
any  which  could  be  obtained  on  the  present  issue.  He  doubted, 
too,  the  loyalty  of  the  garrison,  and  as  he  supposed  that  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor  was  closed  to  any  reinforcements,  he 
thought  that  there  could  be  no  danger  to  the  freest  intercourse 
between  the  garrison  and  the  city.  His  letter  was  as  follows: 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C, 

"  January  13,  1861. 
"  GOVERNOR  F.  W.  PICKENS, 

"  My  dear  sir:  A  serious  and  sudden  attack  of  neuralgia  has 
prevented  me  from  fulfilling  my  promise  to  communicate  more 
fully  by  mail  than  could  safely  be  done  by  telegraph.  I  need 
hardly  say  to  you  that  a  request  for  a  conference  on  questions  of 
defense  had  to  me  the  force  of  a  command ;  it,  however,  found 
me  under  a  proposition  from  the  Governor  of  Mississippi,  to  send 
me  as  a  commissioner  to  Virginia,  and  another  to  employ  me  in 
the  organization  of  the  State  militia.  But  more  than  all,  I  was 
endeavoring  to  secure  the  defeat  of  the  nomination  of  a  foreign 
collector  for  the  port  of  Charleston,  and  at  that  time  it  was 
deemed  possible  that  in  the  Senate  we  could  arrest  all  hostile 
legislation  such  as  might  be  designed  either  for  the  immediate  or 
future  coercion  of  the  South.  It  now  appears  that  we  shall  lack 
one  or  two  votes  to  effect  the  legislative  object  just  mentioned, 


264  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

and  it  was  decided  last  evening,  in  a  conference  which  I  was  not 
able  to  attend,  that  the  Senators  of  the  seceded  States  should 
promptly  withdraw  upon  the  telegraphic  information  already 
received.  I  am  still  confined  to  my  bed,  but  hope  soon  to  be  up 
again,  and,  at  as  early  a  day  as  practicable,  to  see  you.  I  cannot 
place  any  confidence  in  the  adherence  of  the  administration  to  a 
fixed  line  of  policy.  The  general  tendency  is  to  hostile 
measures,  and  against  these  it  is  needful  for  you  to  prepare.  I 
take  it  for  granted  that  the  time  allowed  to  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Sumter  has  been  diligently  employed  by  yourselves,  so  that  before 
you  could  be  driven  out  of  your  earthworks  you  will  be  able  to 
capture  the  fort  which  commands  them.  I  have  not  sufficiently 
learned  your  policy  in  relation  to  the  garrison  at  Fort  Sumter,  to 
understand  whether  the  expectation  is  to  compel  them  to  capitu- 
late for  want  of  supplies,  or  whether  it  is  only  to  prevent  the  trans- 
mission of  reports  and  the  receipt  of  orders.  To  shut  them  up 
with  a  view  to  starve  them  into  submission  would  create  a 
sympathetic  action  much  greater  than  any  which  could  be 
obtained  on  the  present  issue.  I  doubt  very  much  the  loyalty  of 
the  garrison,  and  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  if  they  could  receive 
no  reinforcements — and  I  suppose  you  sufficiently  command  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor  to  prevent  it — that  there  could  be  no 
danger  of  the  freest  intercouse  between  the  garrison  and  the  city. 
We  have  to-day  news  of  the  approach  of  a  mixed  commis- 
sion from  Fort  Sumter  and  Charleston,  but  nothing  further  than 
the  bare  fact.  We  are  probably  soon  to  be  involved  in  that 
fiercest  of  human  strifes,  a  civil  war.  The  temper  of  the  Black 
Republicans  is  not  to  give  us  our  rights  in  the  Union,  or  allow  us 
to  go  peaceably  out  of  it.  If  we  had  no  other  cause,  this  would 
be  enough  to  justify  secession,  at  whatever  hazard.  When  I  am 
better  I  will  write  again,  if  I  do  not  soon  see  you. 

(Signed)         "  Very  sincerely  yours,  JEFFERSON  DAVIS."* 

Upon  the  2oth  of  January  he  again  wrote  that  his  quiet  hours 
were  mostly  spent  in  thought  of  Charleston  Harbor ;  that  the 
opinion  of  the  friends  of  Governor  Pickens  was  adverse  to  the 
presentation  of  a  demand  for  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter; 
that  the  little  garrison  in  its  present  position  pressed  upon 
nothing  but  a  point  of  pride;  that  war  was  made  up  of  real 
elements,  and  that  it  was  a  physical  problem  from  the  solution  of 
which  all  sentiment  must  necessarily  be  excluded;  that  he 
hoped  that  they  should  soon  have  a  Southern  Confederacy, 
should  soon  be  ready  to  do  all  which  interest  or  even  pride 
demands,  and  that  an  indemnity  would  be  found  for  any  chafing 
they  had  now  to  endure.  That  there  was  much  preparation  to 

*  From  original  letter. 


SECOND  LETTER  OF  MR.  DAVIS. 


205 


make,  both  in  civil  and  in  military  organizations,  and  that  the  time 
which  served  for  their  preparation,  by  its  moral  effect  tended 
toward  a  peaceful  solution.  He  thought,  too,  that  the  "occur- 
rence" of  the  Star  of  the  West  seemed  to  put  the  Governor  in 
the  best  condition  for  delay,  so  long  as  the  Government  permits 
that  matter  to  rest  where  it  is  ;  and  that  if  things  should  continue 
as  they  were  for  a  month,  they  would  then  "  be  in  a  condition  to 
speak  with  a  voice  that  all  must  hear  and  heed."  He  wrote  : 

"WASHINGTON,  2oth  January,  1861. 
"  GOVERNOR  F.  W.  PICKENS. 

"  Dear  Sir:  I  wrote  you  a  note  yesterday  announcing  to  you 
my  disappointment  at  the  circumstances  which  prevented  me 
from  meeting  you  on  my  way  home.  You  will  not  be  surprised 
when  I  say  to  you  that  my  quiet  hours  are  mostly  spent  in 
thoughts  of  Charleston  Harbor,  and  may  therefore  pardon  the 
frequency  of  my  letters. 

"  Colonel  Hayne  has  doubtless  informed  you  of  the  condition 
in  which  he  found  matters  here.  The  opinion  of  your  friends, 
which  has  been  communicated  to  him,  is  adverse  to  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  demand  for  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter.  The  little 
garrison  in  its  present  position  presses  on  nothing  but  a  point  of 
pride,  and  to  you  I  need  not  say  that  war  is  made  up  of  real 
elements.  It  is  a  physical  problem  from  the  solution  of  which  we 
must  need  exclude  all  sentiment.  I  hope  we  shall  soon  have  a 
Southern  Confederacy,  shall  soon  be  ready  to  do  all  which  interest 
or  even  pride  demands,  and  in  the  fullness  of  a  redemption  of 
every  obligation.  The  more  impatient  will  find  indemnity  for 
any  chafing,  in  the  meantime,  they  would  have  to  endure.  We 
have  much  of  preparation  to  make,  both  in  military  and  civil 
organization,  and  the  time  which  serves  for  our  preparation,  by 
its  moral  effect  tends  also  towards  a  peaceful  solution.  Secure 
of  ourselves,  walking  steadily  onward  to  the  purpose  we  have 
avowed,  if  any  should  misunderstand  us,  it  will  be  only  to  awake 
from  their  delusion  to  the  realization  of  the  virtues  and  powers 
which  will  seem  all  the  greater  for  their  sudden  development. 

"  I  learn  but  vaguely  the  progress  of  your  works,  but  rest 

content  in  the  conviction  that  all  is  done  which  is  possible. 
********* 

"  The  occurrence  of  the  Star  of  the  West  seems  to  me  to  put 
you  in  the  best  condition  for  delay,  so  long  as  the  Government 
permits  that  matter  to  rest  where  it  is.  Your  friends  here  think 
you  can  well  afford  to  stand  still,  so  far  as  the  presence  of  a 
garrison  is  concerned,  and  if  things  continue  as  they  are  for  a 
month,  we  shall  then  be  in  a  condition  to  speak  with  a  voice 
which  all  must  hear  and  heed. 

"  I  should  be  very  happy  to  hear  from  you  at  Jackson,  Miss.; 


266  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

and  hoping  to  meet  you  soon,  permit  me  to  assure  you  that  my 
heart  will  be  with  you,  and  my  thoughts  of  you. 
"  Very  respectfully  and  truly, 

"  Yours, 
(Signed)         "JEFFERSON  DAVIS." 

A  letter  of  similar  import  had  been  addressed  by  Governor 
Pickens  to  the  Executive  of  Georgia,  Governor  Jos.  E.  Brown, 
who  replied  to  him  on  the  2d  of  February  that  he  fully  appre- 
ciated the  difficulties  by  which  he  was  surrounded,  and  the  irrita- 
tion which  his  people  must  feel  while  menaced  by  a  hostile 
force.  That  there  were  political  considerations  which  induced 
him  to  believe  that  it  would  be  bad  policy  to  make  an  attack,  or 
commence  actual  war  during  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration. 
He  urged  that  if  war  was  commenced  during  Mr.  Buchanan's 
administration,  the  Democratic  party  of  the  North  would  sustain 
the  President,  and  would  be  put  in  the  front  of  the  attack;  that 
Mr.  Lincoln  would  take  it  up  as  "  unfinished  business  actually 
commenced,"  and  bring  the  Republican  party  with  him  against 
the  South.  But  that  if  a  rupture  with  Buchanan  was  avoided, 
and  Mr.  Lincoln  should  commence  the  war,  the  Northern  Dem- 
ocracy would  oppose  the  measure  and  divide  the  people  upon  the 
issue;  that  Mr.  Lincoln  must  commence  the  attack  at  once,  if  at 
all,  when  he  would  be  weak,  and  when  he  would  have  offended  a 
large  number  of  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  the  distribution  of 
patronage.  He  therefore  thought  it  unwise  to  make  any  attack 
at  present,  unless  the  interest  and  honor  of  South  Carolina 
required  a  different  course.* 

But  the  report  of  the  alleged  intention  of  Governor  Pickens  in 
regard  to  the  assault  upon  Fort  Sumter  had  reached  Montgomery 
and  engaged  the  attention  of  the  leaders  of  the  new  movement. 
On  the  pth  of  February  a  communication  was  addressed  to  the 
Governor  of  South  Carolina  by  the  Hon.  Robert  Toombs,  then  or 
immediately  afterward  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  new  Confed- 
eracy, urging  that  Sumter  might  not  be  attacked  "  without  the 
sanction  and  jurisdiction  of  our  joint  Government." 

To  this  Governor  Pickens  replied  that,  under  "  your  Consti- 
tution "  he  supposed  that  he  had  no  jurisdiction  unless,  in  case  of 
defense  or  invasion,  but  that  he  considered  the  occupation  of  Fort 
Sumter  now,  after  the  rejection  of  his  demand  at  Washington,  and 


Governor  pjckens's  files. 


A  TTA  CK  ON  SUMTER  DEEMED  PR  EM  A  TURE.    267 

the  grounds  upon  which  such  rejection  was  made,  as  an  act  of 
invasion. 

The  garrison  was  not  in  the  same  fort  as  when  the  State 
seceded,  and  their  action  in  deserting  Fort  Moultrie  and  the 
destruction  they  committed  was,  he  thought,  only  justifiable  in 
the  face  of  a  public  enemy,  and  certainly  inaugurated  a  "  state  of 
active  hostilities  if  not  war."  "But  of  course,"  continues  the 
Governor,  "  if  the  President  of  our  Republic  will  come  on  here 
or  send  a  commander-in-chief  immediately,  or  if  your  Congress 
will  by  any  public  or  specific  declaration,  indicate  jurisdiction, 
either  by  request  or  otherwise,  then  I  could  not  hesitate  to  abide 
most  cheerfully  by  your  control,"  unless  an  act  of  aggression  or 
insult  would  require  "  immediate  action." 

The  idea  that  the  Government  at  Montgomery,  might  interfere 
had  been  for  some  time  entertained,  if  not  desired,  by  Governor 
Pickens,  who,  on  the  gth  of  February,  in  a  communication  to 
the  Hon.  John  Tyler,  stated  that,  "  if  the  provisional  Government 
at  Montgomery  assume  the  direction  of  this  State  in  reference  to 
Fort  Sumter,  our  course  may  be  controlled  by  such  direction." 
This,  in  view  of  the  determined  feeling  of  the  people,  was  as  far 
as  the  Governor  could  go  without  involving  himself  directly  with 
the  sentiment  so  often  and  so  earnestly  expressed  by  the  Con- 
vention and  by  the  Legislature.  But  it  was  no  less  an  open 
suggestion,  if  not  a  solicitation,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
transfer  a  responsibility  pressing  upon  him  with  daily  increasing 
weight,  and  from  which  if  not  ostensibly,  he  not  the  less  really 
shrank.  But  the  Governor  still  continued  to  plead  the  necessity 
for  an  attack  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  and  in  his  com- 
munication to  Mr.  Toombs  of  the  i2th  of  February,  the  day 
upon  which  the  resolution  was  passed,  he  says,  "  I  hope  to  be 
ready  by  Friday  night,  and  think  I  am  prepared  to  take  the  fort 
or  to  silence  it."  The  fact  that  an  immediate  attack  was  con- 
templated, was  telegraphed  to  the  South  Carolina  delegation  and 
created  "  deep  concern."  It  was  thought  that  the  Governor  was 
not  informed  as  to  the  powers  of  the  Congress.  It  was  believed, 
too,  that  the  attack  would  be  premature,  that  it  would  interfere 
with  the  arrangements  then  in  progress  to  establish  a  Government, 
and  would  put  an  end  to  any  hope  of  a  peaceful  solution  of  the 
difficulties.  It  was  at  once  determined  that  the  Congress,  being 
now  the  master,  should  interfere.  A  resolution  assuming  control 


268  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

of  the  difficulties  was  promptly  offered  and  at  once  passed,  and 
the  whole  question  of  Fort  Sumter  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
provisional  Government.  Upon  the  evening  of  the  same  day, 
the  President  of  the  provisional  Congress  (Mr.  Cobb)  announced 
the  action  of  the  Congress  in  a  telegram  to  the  Governor  of  South 
Carolina,  who  made  on  the  following  day  a  lengthy  reply.  The 
whole  subject  of  the  "  questions  and  difficulties  "  was  discussed, 
as  well  in  its  political  as  its  military  relations.  The  claim  of  the 
United  States  to  hold  Fort  Sumter  as  a  military  post,  and  the 
denial  of  the  right  of  the  State  to  have  possession  of  the  fort,  was 
in  fact  a  denial  of  its  independence. 

But  the  assertion  of  the  rightful  independence  of  the  State 
carried  with  it  necessarily  the  right  to  reduce  a  fort  into  its  own 
possession,  when  that  fort  was  held  by  an  unfriendly  power  for  a 
hostile  purpose.  It  was  therefore  proper  and  necessary  for  the 
State  to  take  possession  of  "  that  fort"  as  soon  as  it  was  prepared 
to  do  it.  With  the  completion  of  the  preparation  which  was  near, 
and  certain  of  the  object,  it  had  ever  been  the  purpose  of  the 
State  authorities  to  take  the  fort.  It  was  the  right  of  the  State, 
and  her  resources  were  equal  to  the  exercise  of  that  right;  that 
whitever  solution  might  be  adopted  upon  the  part  of  the  Conven- 
tion in  regard  to  the  "  questions  and  difficulties,"  the  position  of 
South  Carolina  as  to  them  should  be  regarded,  and  that  as  soon  as 
her  preparations  were  completed,  the  fort  should  be  reduced.  As 
to  the  time  the  attack  should  be  made,  he  thought,  with  the  best 
lights  he  could  procure  in  guiding  him,  he  was  perfectly  satisfied 
that  the  welfare  of  the  new  Confederation,  as  well  as  the  necessi- 
ties of  the  State  required  "  that  Fort  Sumter  should  be  reduced 
before  the  close  of  the  present  administration  at  Washington." 
To  delay  the  attack  until  after  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln, 
the  troops  which  were  then  quartered  in  the  Capital  might  be 
employed  in  attempting  that  which  they  could  not  now  be  spared 
to  do. 

"  Mr.  Lincoln,"  says  the  Governor,  "  cannot  do  more  for  this 
State  than  Mr.  Buchanan  has  done.  Mr.  Lincoln  will  not  concede 
what  Mr.  Buchanan  has  refused,  and  Mr.  Buchanan  has  based 
his  refusal  upon  grounds  which  determine  his  reply  to  six  States 
as  completely  as  to  one.  If  war  can  be  averted  it  will  be  by 
making  the  capture  of  Fort  Sumter  a  fact  accomplished  during 


GOV.  PICKENS  PREPARED  TJ  TAKE  SUMTER.         269 

the  continuance  of  the  present  administration,  and  leaving  to  the 
incoming  administration  the  question  of  an  open  declaration  of 
war.  If,  however,  the  attack  upon  the  fort  is  made  during  Mr. 
Lincoln's  administration,  it  would  be  an  act  of  present  hostility; 
and  a  declaration  of  war  would  not  be  a  question  to  be  con- 
sidered by  him,  but  would  be  inevitable.  Mr.  Buchanan  cannot 
resist  because  he  has  not  the  power;  Mr.  Lincoln  may  not  attack 
because  the  cause  of  quarrel  may  be  considered  by  him  as  past."* 

This  assumption  of  the  war  power  by  the  Convention,  and  the 
control  of  the  external  relations  of  the  States  composing  the  new 
Confederacy,  was  effected  before  the  new  Government  under  the 
provisional  constitution  was  organized.  There  was  as  yet  no  exec- 
utive, no  Cabinet,  and  the  single  House  oi,  the  Congress  was  the 
entire  Government.  Arid  it  was  feared  by  many  in  South  Carolina 
that  the  result  of. the  transfer  of  the  matter  of  Fort  Sumter  to 
the  Montgomery  Government  would  be  the  postponement  of  the 
possession  of  that  work,  and  the  assault  upon  it  now  confi- 
dently expected  as  soon  to  take  place,  would  be  entrusted  to 
other  hands,  and  that  thus  a  reflection  would  rest  upon  the 
State. 

Although  at  this  period  the  preparations  for  an  assault  upon 
the  fort  were  incomplete,  if  not  inadequate,  no  sooner  had  the 
transfer  of  the  responsibility  in  regard  to  it  been  made  to  the  pro- 
visional Congress,  than  the  people  of  the  State  became  more 
clamorous,  and  the  authorities  of  the  State  more  urgent,  that  the 
attack  upon  it  should  be  made.  The  situation  had  become 
more  complicated  everywhere.  According  to  a  statement  in  the 
Southern  press  on  the  ist  of  February,  sixteen  forts  had  now  been 
seized  whose  united  armament  consisted  of  1,262  guns,  and  whose 
construction  had  cost  the  Government  over  six  million  and  one 
half  of  dollars,  f  Seven  remained.  As  early  as  the  i2th  of 
February,  however,  Governor  Pickens  had  deemed  himself  pre- 
pared, and  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Toombs,  who  shortly  afterward  became 
the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  new  Confederacy,  that  he  thought 
he  was  prepared  to  take  Fort  Sumter,  or  to  silence  it.  He  had,  he 
said,  in  his  most  powerful  battery,  1,240  yards  from  the  fort, 
three  8-inch  heavy  Columbiads  and  three  heavy  mortars,  and 


*  Pickens  to  Cobb,  February  13    1861. 
t  Charleston  Mercury,  February  i,  1861. 


270 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL 


that  two  more  were  to  be  placed  there.  He  had  also  a  floating 
battery,  which  was  to  be  placed  under  the  weakest  part  of  the  work. 
"  Besides  these,"  he  says,  "  I  have  mortars  and  Columbiads  at  Fort 
Moultrie,  and  plenty  of  32-pounders  as  well  as  mortars  at  Fort 
Johnson.  If  the  attack  was  commenced,  the  fort  should  be  taken 
at  every  hazard;  and  if  resisted,  the  slaughter  of  the  garrison  was 
inevitable."  The  channel  was  well  guarded,  and  no  ship  could 
enter  without  being  sunk,  and  this  should  be  done,  "  let  the 
consequences  be  what  they  may."  If  reinforcements  were  attempt- 
ed, he  would  not  wait  an  hour.  He  did  not  desire  that  the  border 


HAMILTON  FLOATING  BATTERY. 

States  should  patch  up  a  miserable  and  disgraceful  Union  with 
the  North,  and  he  thought  that  perhaps  the  immediate  possession 
of  the  fort  might  be  necessary  to  open  a  gulf  between  the  border 
States  and  the  North  so  deep  that  it  could  never  be  closed,  and 
that  perhaps  it  would  be  politic  to  do  this,  even  at  the  expense  of 
bloodshed.  Such  things  had  been  done  in  great  revolutions. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  the  provisional  President  had  for- 
warded to  Governor  Pickens  the  resolution  of  the  Congress, 
taking  into  their  own  charge  the  military  operations  in  progress 
in  the  several  States  of  the  Confederacy.  To  this  the  Governor 


SKILLED  ENGINEER  SENT  TO  CHARLESTON. 


271 


replied  on  the  27th  of  February,  by  a  recital  of  the  steps  he  had 
taken.  That  in  order  to  consult  him  on  military  matters  he  had 
asked  him  to  come  to  Charleston;  that  he  had  sent  to  the 
Governor  of  Georgia  for  General  Twiggs,  and  to  him  (Davis)  for  a 
military  engineer.  That  nothing  should  be  done  to  involve  the 
States  in  a  permanent  war  by  any  separate  act  of  theirs,  unless  it 
was  necessary  in  self-defense,  or  to  prevent  reinforcements.  But 
in  the  meantime,  he  proposed  to  go  on  with  the  same  authority  as 
ever  in  preparing  his  defenses  and  bis  men  for  any  event  that 
may  arise.  And  he  asks  to  be  informed  if,  when  he  is  ready  to 
assault  the  fort,  should  he  do  so  or  await  "  your  order,"  and  also 
if  he  should  demand  the  surrender,  or  would  it  be  made  by  the 
executive,  and  he  asked  that  an  answer  be  sent  him  by  telegraph. 
The  Congress  at  Montgomery  had  meantime  organized  a  pro- 
visional Government,  and  an  executive  in  the  person  of  Mr. 
Jefferson  Davis  had  been  chosen,  who,  upon  the  gth  of  February, 
proceeded  to  Montgomery  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
his  office.  Among  the  earlier  acts  of  his  administration  was  the 
appointment  of  a  brigadier-general  for  the  army  of  the  Con- 
federacy, and  to  assign  him  at  once  to  the  command  of  the 
operations  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston.  Previous  to  this  appoint- 
ment, the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  had  been  urgent  that  a 
skilled  engineer  should  be  sent  to  him  at  Charleston.  Captain 
W.  H.  C.  Whiting,  a  former  officer  of  engineers  of  the  United 
States  Army,  and  who,  having  vacated  his  commission,  was  now  in 
the  service  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  was  sent  to  report  to  him. 
On  the  22d  of  February  he  received  his  orders  from  the  pro- 
visional President  directly.  He  was  to  proceed  to  Charleston,  to 
confer  with  the  Governor  of  the  State,  and  to  enter  at  once  upon 
a  reconnoissance  of  the  harbor;  he  was  to  inspect  the  works,  and 
was  to  gain  such  knowledge  of  Fort  Sumter  as  circumstances 
would  permit.  He  was  to  make  an  inventory  of  the  armament 
and  munitions,  and  note  particularly  the  different  qualities  of 
cannon  powder,  and  he  was  generally  charged  with  the  examination 
of  the  works  and  the  preparation  for  active  operations.  Captain 
Whiting  proceeded  to  Charleston,  and  entered  at  once  upon  the 
service  required  of  him.  The  result  of  his  inspection  was  soon 
attained.  He  disapproved  of  much  which  had  been  done,  and 
gave  an  "  alarming  description  of  affairs "  in  the  harbor  of 
Charleston.  This  official  decision  deeply  wounded  the  suscepti- 


272 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


bilities  of  the  officials  and  people  in  Charleston,  many  of  whom 
demanded  his  removal.  The  efforts  of  the  State  authorities  had 
been  almost  exclusively  directed  to  the  reduction  of  Fort  Sumter. 
With  a  view  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose,  the  work 
upon  Fort  Moultrie,  Fort  Johnson  and  the  iron-clad  battery  upon 
Cummings  Point  seemed  to  receive  their  principal  attention.  It 
was  evident  that  a  breaching  fire  was  contemplated  from  the 
batteries  at  Cummings  Point.  The  labor  there  was  unremitting, 
and  it  soon  attracted  the  earnest  attention  of  Major  Anderson 
and  his  officers.  It  was  to  meet  the  fire  from  these  batteries  and 
to  resist  the  contemplated  assault,  that  the  gorge  of  Fort  Sumter 
was  protected  and  strengthened  by  every  available  means,  and  the 
strongest  batteries  upon  the  parapet  made  to  bear  upon  the  works 
at  that  point.  The  recommendations  of  their  Board  had  been 
carefully  carried  out.  All  through  January  and  February  the 
work  was  prosecuted,  and  often  continued  late  into  the  night.  On 
the  22d  of  February  Major  Anderson  reported  to  his  Govern- 
ment that,  "  one  of  the  works  on  Cummings  Point  appeared  to  be 
bomb-proof,  and  was  possibly  intended  to  defilade  their  guns 
bearing  on  the  channel  from  our  fire,"  and  that  it  was  evident 
that  they  considered  them  as  important.  The  shape  and  appear- 
ance of  the  battery,  and  the  use  of  bars  of  railroad  iron  in  its  con- 
struction, was  on  the  4th  of  February  first  made  known.  The 
guns  which  were  intended  to  fire  directly  upon  Sumter  were  first 
mounted,  placed  in  position  and  covered  with  bomb-proof  roofs 
and  the  embrasures  closed  with  iron  shutters.  On  the  gth  of 
February  an  additional  battery  of  three  heavy  guns,  three  hun- 
dred yards  eastward  of  the  iron-clad  battery,  and  connected  with 
it  by  a  covered  way,  apparently  was  recognized  and  reported. 
Work  went  on  steadily  upon  these  batteries  from  day  to  day. 
Meantime,  on  the  1 2th  of  February,  the  action  of  the  provisional 
Congress  in  assuming  the  control  of  the  military  operations  of 
the  seceded  States  had  become  known,  and  it  seemed  to  those 
who  watched  the  operations  from  Fort  Sumter  to  be  followed  by 
a  lack  of  activity  in  the  work  going  on  about  the  fort.  But  from 
whatever  cause  it  may  have  arisen,  the  suspension  was  but  tem- 
porary, and  work  was  soon  actively  renewed.  By  the  middle  of 
February  a  third  breaching  battery  was  established  at  Cummings 
Point,  and  the  three  embrasures  for  its  guns  commenced. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Salutes  upon  Washington's  birthday  in  Charleston  Harbor— Scenes  in  Wash- 
ington— President  countermands  order  for  parade  of  troops— Representa- 
tive Sickles  protests— Interview  with  the  President  at  the  War  Department 
— President  yields — Parade  takes  place— Makes  explanation  to  Ex-Presi- 
dent Tyler — His  letter— Major  G.  T.  Beauregard  selected  as  Brigadier- 
General  of  the  new  Confederacy — His  character  and  history— Proceeds  to 
Charleston— Makes  thorough  inspection — Unfavorable  result— Absence  of 
systematic  organization  and  control— Operations  around  Sumter  changed 
— Detached  batteries  located  on  shores  of  harbor — Fort  Sumter  to  be 
enveloped  by  a  circle  of  fire— Defenses  of  Fort  Moultrie  rebuilt— Chief 
engineer's  accurate  observations  and  reports — His  letter  to  his  chief — 
Major  Anderson  clearly  reports  his  condition,  and  the  work  going  on 
around  him. 

IT  was  now  the  22d  of  February,  and  Castle  Pinckney  had 
opened  early  with  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns  in  honor  of  the  birth- 
day of  Washington.  At  noon  the  guns  upon  the  barbette  were 
manned  and  Sumter  fired  a  national  salute.  On  that  morning  a 
different  scene  was  enacting  at  Washington. 

In  accordance  with  custom  a  parade  of  the  troops  stationed 
there  had  been  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  celebration  of 
the  day,  and  its  execution  committed  to  General  Scott  on  the  2ist 
inst.  Upon  the  evening  of  that  day  the  President,  hearing  of  the 
order,  went  in  person  to  the  residence  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
and  asked  if  such  parade  had  been  ordered  by  him. 

He  was  replied  to  affirmatively,  and  informed  that  it  was  in 
accordance  with  custom,  when  the  President  at  once  counterman- 
ded the  order.  The  Secretary  replied  to  him  that  it  would  be 
difficult  now  at  so  late  an  hour  to  countermand  it,  as  a  copy  of 
the  order  had  already  gone  to  the  public  press,  but  that  he  would 
make  the  effort  to  obey  his  instructions.  Upon  the  morning  of 
the  22d,  knowing  nothing  of  the  countermand,  and  having  seen 
the  published  order,  large  crowds  had  assembled  to  witness  the 
parade,  and  with  an  especial  interest,  as  it  was  believed  that  troops 
had  been  assembled  in  Washington  with  reference  to  the 
approaching  inauguration  on  the  4th  of  March.  The  President 


274 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


had  gone  to  the  War  Department,  and  was  in  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  who  had  preceded  him,  when  Daniel  E. 
Sickles,  then  a  Member  of  Congress  from  New  York,  and  who  had 
made  his  way  into  the  closed  Department,  appeared  at  the  door  of 
the  Secretary's  office  and  demanded  to  see  the  President.  When 
cautioned  by  the  Secretary  that  the  President  wished  to  be  alone, 
he  insisted;  when,  hearing  the  noise,  the  President  inquired  the 
reason  of  the  disturbance.  His  relations  with  the  Representative 
had  been  close  for  a  long  period.  While  minister  to  England 
the  latter  had  been  the  Secretary  of  Legation,  and  as  a  Member 
of  Congress  he  had  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  Mr.  Buchanan's 
administration,  and  the  relations  existing  were  now  taken  advan- 
tage of  by  the  latter  to  bring  the  subject  of  the  suspension  of  the 
parade  before  the  President  with  great  force.  It  would  be  mis- 
understood, there  was  no  reason  for  it,  and  would  be  productive 
of  great  harm.  It  must  go  on,  and  any  orders  for  its  suspension 
must  be  at  once  revoked.  The  President  reluctantly  yielded, 
when  the  Representative  went  at  once  to  the  office  of  Lieutenant^ 
General  Scott,  who  feared. that  it  was  then  too  late,  as  his  officers 
were  now  "unbelted,"  as  he  expressed  it.  Word  was,  however, 
promptly  sent;  those  organizations  that  had  not  yet  been  dis- 
missed were  assembled,  and  a  parade  was  made  without  any 
knowledge  upon  the  part  of  the  people  that  it  had  been  inter- 
rupted. Hardly  had  the  Representative  left  the  department  when 
the  President  addressed  the  following  communication  to  ex-Presi- 
dent John  Tyler,  the  President  of  the  Peace  Convention  then 
in  session  in  Washington,  and  which  was  at  once  copied  by  the 
Secretary  of  War.  It  was  as  follows; 

"WASHINGTON,  February  22,  1861. 

"  My  Dear  Sir:  I  found  it  impossible  to  prevent  two  or  three 
companies  of  the  Federal  troops  from  joining  in  the  procession 
to-day  with  the  volunteers  of  the  District,  without  giving  serious 
offence  to  the  tens  of  thousands  of  people  who  have  assembled  to 
witness  the  parade. 

"The  day  is  the  anniversary  of  Washington's  birth,  a  festive 
occasion  throughout  the  land,  and  it  has  been  particularly  marked 
by  the  House  of  Representatives. 

"  The  troops  everywhere  else  join  such  processions  in  honor 
of  the  birthday  of  the  Father  of  our  Country,  and  it  would  be 
hard  to  assign  a  good  reason  why  they  should  be  excluded  from 
the  privilege  in  the  Capital  founded  by  himself.  They  are  here 
simply  as  a  posse  comitatus,  to  aid  the  civil  authorities  in  case  of 


MAJOR  BEAUREGARD'S  RECORD. 


275 


need.  Besides,  the  programme  was  published  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  of  this  morning  without  my  personal  knowledge,  the 
War  Department  having  considered  the  celebration  of  the  national 
anniversary  by  the  military  arm  of  the  Government  as  a  matter 
of  course. 

"  From  your  friend,  very  respectfully, 

"JAMES  BUCHANAN. 
"  PRESIDENT  TYLER." 

Renewed  activity  was  soon  manifested  about  the  fort.  The 
area  to  include  all  the  batteries  from  Cummings  Point  was 
enlarged,  and  the  batteries  themselves  connected  by  curtains,  and 
work  progressed  upon  these  curtains,  which  the  engineer  officer, 
who  carefully  watched  their  progress,  thought  was  "a  magazine 
or  a  bomb-proof  of  timber  to  be  used  as  a  battery."  The  work 
at  Moultrie  and  at  Fort  Johnson  was  steadily  pursued,  and  it  was 
while  thus  in  progress  that  the  officer  appointed  by  the  Govern- 
ment at  Montgomery  reported  in  Charleston.  Major  G.  T. 
Beauregard,  late  of  the  United  States  Army,  was  the  officer 
selected,  who,  in  personal  character  and  professional  attain 
ment  fully  merited  the  distinction.  A  native  of  Louisiana, 
he  had  graduated  from  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point 
in  the  Corps  of  Engineers  of  the  class  of  1838,  with  Hardee 
and  McDowell,  and  had  been  justly  considered  one  of  the 
most  accomplished  members  of  that  corps.  By  a  singular  coin- 
cidence Major  Anderson  was  his  instructor  of  artillery,  and 
upon  his  graduation  retained  him  as  his  assistant  instructor  of 
artillery  and  artillery  practice.  He  had  made  a  record  of  faith- 
ful service  to  the  Government, which  but  a  short  time  before*  had 
appointed  him  to  the  superintendency  of  the  Military  Academy 
at  West  Point,  which  position  had  been  tendered  to  him  the 
previou's  year. 

In  the  war  with  Mexico  he  had  distinguished  himself  by  his 
engineering  ability,  and  especially  in  his  proposal  and  advocacy 
of  the  attack  upon  the  city  by  its  western  approaches,  and  in 
support  of  which  he  stood  almost  alone,  but  which  was  finally 
successfully  adopted.  He  was  twice  wounded,  and  was  brevetted 
a  captain,  and  again  a  major,  in  the  army  "  for  gallant  and  meri- 
torious conduct  at  Contreras  and  at  Cherubusco."  He  reported  at 
the  Academy,  but,  in  accordance  with  his  orders,  postponed 


:  November  8,  1860. 


2  76  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

assuming  command  until  after  the  January  examinations  had 
closed,  when  he  relieved  the  then  superintendent,  Major 
Delafield.  His  object  in  postponing  action  arose  from  the 
anticipated  course  of  Louisiana,  his  native  State,  and  which 
would  decide  his  position,  and  in  regard  to  which  he  was  open  in 
expression,  having  communicated  his  intentions  to  the  chief  of 
his  corps.  Major  Beauregard  remained  in  command  but  a  few 
days,  when  he  was  relieved  by  an  order  from  the  Secretary  of 
War,  Mr.  Holt,  who,  upon  examining  into  the  nature  of  the 
appointment,  and  discovering  that  it  had  been  made  without 
reference  to  the  claims  of  older  officers,  and  deeming  that  the 
appointment  of  an  officer  with  such  views  and  sympathies  to  the 
command  of  the  military  school  at  West  Point  an  unsuitable  one 
under  the  circumstances,  and  one  which  could  not  but  produce  a 
demoralizing  effect  upon  the  cadets,  relieved  him  by  his  own 
order.  Major  Beauregard  returned  to  Louisiana,  when  he  at 
once  tendered  his  resignation,  and  where  by  his  counsel  and 
advice  he  materially  assisted  the  Governor  in  his  preparations  for 
the  defense  of  the  State  and  the  approach  to  its  valuable  harbor. 
He  declined  the  offer  of  a  colonelcy  in  the  State  service,  as  he 
deemed  himself,  from  his  position  and  services,  entitled  to  the 
brigadier-generalcy,  which  had  been  offered  to  and  accepted  by 
another  (Bragg).  The  appointment  of  Beauregard  to  West  Point 
was  due  to  Senator  John  Slidell,  of  Louisiana,  his  brother-in-law. 
When  his  relief  from  command  became  known,  Senator  Slidell, 
upon  the  2yth  of  January,  addressed  a  note  to  the  President, 
asking  him  if  this  had  been  done  with  his  approbation.  His 
influence  with  the  President  was  at  this  time  potential.  Soon 
after  the  Secretary  of  War  received  a  summons  to  the  White 
House,  and  on  entering  the  President's  room  he  found  him. seated 
at  his  official  table  with  Mr.  Stanton  at  his  side.  On  approach- 
ing him  he  handed  to  the  Secretary  an  open  paper,  saying  to  him, 
"  Read  this."  It  proved  to  be  the  note  from  Senator  Slidell  just 
referred  to,  and  was  in  these  words: 

"  WASHINGTON, 

"  January  27,  1861. 

"My  DEAR  SIR:  I  have  seen  in  the  Star,  and  heard  from 
other  parties,  that  Major  Beauregard,  who  had  been  ordered  to 
West  Point  as  superintendent  of  the  Military  Academy,  and  had 
entered  on  the  discharge  of  his  duties  there,  had  been  relieved 


RELIEVED  FROM  WEST  POINT, 


277 


from  his  command.    May  I  take  the  liberty  of  asking  you  if  this 
has  been  done  with  your  approbation  ? 

"  Very  respectfully  yours, 

"  JOHN  SLIDELL." 

*  Upon  reading  it  the  Secretary,  indignant  at  its  tone,  said: 
"Mr.  President,  we  have  heard  this  crack  of  the  overseer's  whip 
over  our  heads  long  enough.  This  note  is  an  outrage;  it  is  one 
that  Senator  Slidell  had  no  right  to  address  to  you."  "  I  think 
so  myself,"  replied  the  President,  "  and  will  write  to  him  to  that 
effect."  "  No,"  continued  the  Secretary,  "  I  feel  that  I  have  a 
right,  Mr.  President,  to  ask  that  you  will  do  more  than  this;  that 
you  will  say  to  Senator  Slidell,  without  qualification  and  without 
explanation,  that  this  is  your  act,  for  you  know  that  as  Secretary 
of  War  I  am  simply  your  representative,  and  if  my  acts,  as  such, 
are  not  your  acts,  then  they  are  nothing."  The  President 
assented  to  this  view,  and  without  delay  sent  the  following  an- 
swer to  Senator  Slidell. 

"WASHINGTON,  January  29,  1861. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR:  With  every  sentiment  of  personal  friend- 
ship and  regard,  I  am  obliged  to  say  in  answer  to  your  note  of 
Sunday,  that  I  have  full  confidence,  in  the  Secretary  of  War;  and 
his  acts,  in  the  line  of  his  duty,  are  my  own  acts,  for  which  I  am 
responsible. 

"  Yours  very  respectfully, 

(Signed)      "JAMES  BUCHANAN." 

This  terminated  Senator  Slidell's  social  relations  with  the  Presi- 
dent; he  never  appeared  at  the  White  House  again.  Upon  the 
22d  of  February,  Major  Beauregard  was  summoned  to  Mont- 
gomery. He  had  meanwhile  resigned  his  commission  in  the  army 
of  the  United  States,  upon  the  8th  of  February,  but  until  its 
acceptance  by  the  Government  he  abstained  from  entering  the 
service  of  the  Confederacy,  when  the  appointment  of  brigadier- 
general  was  first  tendered  to  him  at  Montgomery.  At  the  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  Jefferson  Davis,  a  telegram  was  sent  by  Major 
Beauregard  to  Washington,  asking  for  action  upon  his  resigna- 
tion, when  a  reply  was  received  formally  accepting  it,  to  take 
effect  upon  the  yth  of  February,  and  he  at  once  passed  into  the 
service  of  the  Confederate  States.  On  the  ist  of  March,  he  was 
directed  by  his  War  Department  to  proceed  to  Charleston  and 


*  Secretary  Holt  to  writer. 


278  THE  GENESIS  OF  7W£  CIVIL   WAR. 

report  to  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  for  "military  duty  in 
that  State."  He  was  authorized  to  receive  into  the  service  of 
the  Confederacy,  a  force  not  exceeding  5,000  men,  as  might  be 
tendered,  or  who  might  volunteer.  A  sum  of  $20,000  was  placed 
at  his  disposal,  other  sums  arranged  for,  and  the  services  of  a  com- 
petent staff  suggested.  Upon  the  same  day,  the  Confederate 
Secretary  of  War*  informed  Governor  Pickens  of  the  appointment 
of  General  Beauregard  and  of  the  confidence  in  him,  and  he  at 
the  same  time  informed  him  that  the  President  of  the  Confeder- 
acy shared  the  feeling  the  Governor  had  expressed,  that  Fort 
Sumter  should,  as  early  as  possible,  be  in  their  possession.  This 
natural  and  just  feeling,  however,  must  yield  to  necessity.  "  The 
first  blow  must  be  successful  both  for  its  moral  and  physical  con- 
sequences, and  thorough  preparations  must  be  made  before  an 
attack  was  attempted;  otherwise  the  result  would  be  disastrous 
and  would  demoralize  our  people,  "f  and  injuriously  affect  them  in 
the  opinion  of  the  world  as  reckless  and  precipitous.  General 
Beauregard  proceeded  at  once  to  his  post.  In  order  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  actual  condition  of  things  in  the  harbor,  the 
progress  of  the  works  and  the  object  proposed  by  the  State 
authorities,  General  Beauregard  abstained  for  a  few  days  from 
assuming  command.  Soon  afterwards,  accompanied  by  the 
engineer  officer,  Captain  Whiting,  he  proceeded  to  a  thorough 
inspection  of  the  system  of  works  then  in  process  of  construction 
on  Morris  Island  by  the  local  engineers,  for  the  reduction  of  Fort 
Sumter.  The  result  of  the  inspection  was  unfavorable  to  the 
system,  which,  as  engineers,  was  condemned  by  them.  There 
was  an  absence  of  systematic  organization  or  control;  the  guns 
and  merlons  at  or  about  Cummings  Point  had  been  injudiciously 
crowded.  Work  had  been  confined  to  measures  looking  to  the 
reduction  of  the  forts,  while  the  channel  entrances  had  been 
almost  overlooked,  and  it  was  deemed  of  the  highest  importance 
while  keeping  in  view  the  reduction  of  Fort  Sumter,  to  isolate  it 
immediately  from  any  possibility  of  reinforcement.  A  marked 
change  in  the  operations  around  them  soon  became  visible  to 
those  who  watched  from  Fort  Sumter.  Under  the  instructions  of 
the  new  commander,  a  system  of  detached  batteries  along  the 


*  L.  P.  Walker. 

t  Letter  book  of  the  Confederate  War  Department,  1860-61.. 


RENE  WED  ACTIVITY  MANIFESTED.  2  7O 

shores  of  both  Morris  and  Sullivan's  islands  was  at  once  com- 
menced. Mortar  batteries  were  to  be  located  as  far  as  practicable 
beyond  the  range  of  the  guns  of  the  fort,  "at  every  available 
point  on  the  bay  around  a  circumference  of  which  the  fort  should 
be  the  centre,  in  order  to  concentrate  thereon  the  fire  of  all  my 
batteries  "*  The  position  to  be  taken  by  the  floating  battery  when 
completed,  was  indicated,  and  a  mortar  battery  located  upon 
Mount  Pleasant  closed  the  circle  of  fire  intended  to  envelop  the 
fort.  Additional  mortars  were  brought  from  Savannah  and  Pen- 
sacola  and  placed  at  Fort  Johnson  and  at  Mount  Pleasant  in 
strong  works.  They  were  within  effective  range,  but  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  guns  of  Fort  Sumter.  The  character  of  the  work  at 
Fort  Moultrie  was  not  thought  to  be  effective.  The  defenses 
were  rebuilt;  the  merlons  between  the  guns  bearing  on  Sumter 
were  raised  and  supported  by  heavy  timbers,  and  greatly  increased 
in  strength.  Renewed  activity  was  soon  manifested  at  every 
point  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston;  new  batteries  sprang  up  along 
the  shore,  steamers  carrying  men  and  materials  passed  and 
repassed  by  day  and  night  under  the  guns  of  Fort  Sumter.  A 
large  force  of  laborers  was  kept  at  work  daily,  including  Sunday, 
and  the  new  object  to  be  attained  was  steadily  prosecuted.  There 
was  no  attempt  at  disguise.  Trials  for  range  were  made  as  soon 
as  any  new  work  was  completed  and  had  received  its  armament, 
and  the  artillery  practice  constantly  going  on  soon  manifested  to 
the  garrison  the  steady  improvement  in  firing  and  the  accuracy 
of  range  attained,  and  which  they  watched  from  their  walls  with 
increasing  interest.  Daily  reports,  careful  and  minute  in  their 
character,  were  made  to  Washington  by  Major  Anderson,  and  the 
engineer  officer,  Captain  Foster,  and  the  reports  of  Major  Ander- 
son were  often  accompanied  by  accurate  sketches  of  the  works 
going  on,  made  by  Captain  Seymour.  Necessarily,  these  were 
limited  to  what  could  be  seen  from  the  work  by  the  medium  of 
glasses,  as  well  as  what  appeared  in  the  daily  journals  and  what 
could  be  learned  from  occasional  messengers  to  the  fort.  Much 
was  inference  and  what  seemed  to  be  the  probable  intention,  but 
there  was  singular  accuracy  in  the  reports,  and  the  Government 
was  kept  as  fully  advised  of  the  progress  of  the  works  around  the 
fort  as  the  garrison  itself.  Through  the  months  of  February 


*  Beauregard's  letter  to  writer,  July  16,  1872. 


28O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

and  March,  these  reports  were  regularly  made  and  the  progress 
of  the  works  reported,  and  especially  upon  the  works  at  Cumnrings 
Point,  which  were  nearest  to  the  fort  and  deemed  by  the  garrison 
as  the  most  prominent.  The  transfer  of  mortars  to  the  different 
works,  the  establishment  of  new  batteries  and  the  probable  effect 
of  their  guns,  their  trials  for  range,  the  extension  of  their  batter- 
ies to  Morris  Island  bearing  on  the  channel,  as  well  as  their 
changes  at  Moultrie  to  strengthen  its  defensive  arrangement,  we  re 
all  carefully  and  promptly  reported;  also  the  arrival  of  Gen- 
eral Beauregard  and  the  immediate  extension  of  the  work  for  the 
defense  of  the  harbor.  So  minute  were  the  observations  of  the 
engineer  officer,  that  he  was  enabled  to  report  to  his  chief  on 
the  6th  of  March,  as  follows: 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C, 

"  March  6,  1861. 

"  GENERAL:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  during  the  day, 
and  especially  towards  night,  unusual  activity  was  observed 
among  the  South  Carolinians  around  us;  several  steamer  loads 
of  men  were  landed  on  Cummings  Point.  The  number  was  greater 
than  the  arrangements  for  shelter,  apparently,  for  I  observe  quite 
a  large  number  grouped  about  their  bivouac  fires  this  morning. 
Their  suffering  must  have  been  considerable  during  the  night, 
for  the  weather  suddenly  changed  from  the  warm  temperature  of 
the  preceding  days  to  a  high  degree  of  cold,  for  this  climate, 
the  wind  blowing  fresh  from  the  north. 

"  I  learn  that  portable  hot  shot  furnaces  have  been  fur- 
nished to  several,  and  probably  all,  of  the  batteries.  The  mortar 
battery  on  James  Island,  south  of  Fort  Johnson,  is  armed,  but 
the  number  of  mortars  is  not  ascertained.  The  magazine  in 
the  flank  of  this  battery  is  also  finished.  The  mortar  battery  on 
Sullivan's  Island,  west  of  Fort  Moultrie,  is  also  armed.  All  the 
batteries  on  Morris  Island  are  armed.  The  guns  range  from  32- 
pounders  down,  with  the  exception  of  the  iron  bomb-proof, 
which  is  (I  think,  from  all  reports  and  observations)  armed  with 
8-inch  Columbiads — three  of  them. 

"  The  raft  does  not  meet  expectations.  It  is  being  covered 
with  railroad  strap  iron  instead  of  the  T  rail.  This  has  a  cross- 
section  of  about  three-fourths  or  one  inch  by  two  inches  or  two 
and  a  half  inches. 

"  They  are  now  ironing  the  top  portion,  the  front  not  being 
yet  commenced.  Two  8-inch  Columbiads  are  lying  on  the  wharf 
ready  to  be  put  on  board.  I  do  not  think  this  floating  battery  will 
prove  very  formidable. 

' '  We  have  not  yet  received  the  inaugural  address  of  President 


MA  JOR  ANDERSON  RE  FOR  TS  HIS  CONDITION.       281 

Lincoln,  although  it  is  reported  from  town  that  it  is  coercive  in 
its  character,  and  that  much  excitement  prevails. 
"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  J.  G.  FOSTER, 

"Captain  Engineers. 
"  GENERAL  Jos.  G.  TOTTEN, 

"  Chief  Engineer  U.  S.  Army,  Washington,  D.  C." 

Anderson,  too,  wholly  alive  to  the  fact  that  the  harbor  was 
being  rapidly  closed  to  all  relief  to  him,  and  that  any  vessel  com- 
ing to  his  assistance  would  be  under  fire  from  the  harbor  bar  to  the 
walls  of  his  fort,  clearly  reported  his  condition  to  the  new  admin- 
istration on  the  pth  of  March  as  follows: 

"FoRT  SUMTER,  March  9,  1861. 

"  (Received  A.  G.  O.,  March  12.) 
"  COLONEL  S.  COOPER, 

"  Adjutant-General,  United  States  Army. 
"  Colonel:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  we  can  see  the 
South  Carolinians  engaged  this  morning  strengthening  and 
extending  considerably  what  we  supposed  to  have  been  intended 
for  a  mortar  battery  at  Fort  Johnson.  Small  parties  are  also 
working  at  Nos.  9  and  10,  and  a  very  heavy  force  at  the  bend  of 
the  island,  this  side  of  No.  i.  Whether  they  are  constructing 
another  battery  there  or  strengthening  one  that  is  already  there  I 
cannot  tell.  One  of  my  officers  reports  that  he  has  counted  nine 
24-pounders  which  have  been  landed  at  Cummings  Point  within  a 
week.  Yesterday  he  saw  several  shot  or  shells  which  appeared  to 
be  about  eight  inches  in  diameter.  They  are  certainly  busy 
strengthening  the  batteries  already  constructed,  and  probably 
adding  others.  It  appears  to  me  that  vessels  will,  even  now, 
from  the  time  they  cross  the  bar,  be  under  fire  from  the  batteries 
on  Morris  Island  until  they  get  under  the  walls  of  this  work.  I 
do  not  speak  of  the  batteries  which  have  been  constructed  on 
Sullivan's  Island,  as  I  am  not  certain  of  their  positions.  Fort 
Moultrie  will,  of  course,  be  a  very  formidable  enemy. 
"  I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully, 
"Your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"  Major  First  Artillery,  Commanding. 
"  COLONEL  S.  COOPER,  Adjutant-General  United  States  Army." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Close  of  President  Buchanan's  administration— Condition  of  the  country- 
Anderson's  letter  of  February  28 — Its  character  —  Estimate  ot  himself  and 
officers — Relieving  force  necessary  —Letter  delivered  to  President  on  4th  of 
March — Transmitted  to  incoming  President  by  Secretary  of  War  Holt  on 
5th  of  March — Resume  of  President  Buchanan's  course  in  dealing  with  the 
seceded  States — His  failure  to  recognize  the  real  condition  of  affairs  —  His 
policy  and  action — Secretary  Holt's  letter  accompanying  Anderson's  com- 
munication— Misled  by  Anderson's  statements— Believed  Anderson  safe — 
Line  of  policy  not  to  reinforce,  unless  called  upon  by  Anderson,  adhered  to 
— Anderson's  previous  report  -  Main  statements  of  his  condition  — Impos- 
sible to  relieve  him  without  large  force— Anderson's  views  in  private  corre- 
spondence— Important  letter  to  a  Rhode  Island  correspondent — Good  con- 
dition of  the  garrison — Annoyances  from  without  -Irritation  of  the  people 
— Floating  battery — Anderson  asks  for  instructions  in  regard  to  it — Reply 
of  Secretary  of  War— Destruction  of  the  temporary  wooden  buildings  on 
the  parade — Ammunition  furnished  to  the  batteries — Rearrangement  of  the 
guns — Gorge  protected  and  strengthened — Anderson  mines  the  wharf. 

THE  4th  of  March  had  now  come,  and  with  it  the  close  of  the 
administration  of  Mr.  Buchanan.  The  garrisons  of  Forts  Sumter 
and  Pickens  had  not  been  withdrawn,  and  these  works  still 
remained  in  the  possession  of  the  Government.  The  seceding 
States  had  not  been  recognized,  either  in  the  representative  char- 
acter of  their  Commissioners,  or  in  their  corporate  capacity,  or  in 
any  way  whatever.  The  National  Government  had  failed  to 
assert  itself.  Congress  had  adjourned,  and  had  left  the  situation 
unaltered  by  statute  and  uninfluenced  by  action.  The  status 
had  been  apparently  preserved;  bloodshed  had  been  thus  far 
avoided;  the  border  States  yet  remained  in  the  Union,  but  no 
settlement  of  the  difficulties  had  been  determined  upon,  and  the 
country  was  steadily  drifting  towards  a  condition  of  things  of 
which  war  seemed  to  be  the  inevitable  conclusion. 

The  Commissioners  from  the  Confederate  Government  had 
arrived  in  Washington,  and  were  only  waiting  a  change  in  admin- 
istration to  open  negotiations  with  the  Government,  and  to  present 
their  demands.  The  sounds  of  active  preparation  were  heard  in 
Charleston  Harbor,  and  Fort  Sumter  was  being  rapidly  surrounded 


EXPEDITION  UNDER  COMMANDER  WARD.  283 

by  batteries  to  effect  its  reduction,  while  the  shores  and  islands  of 
the  harbor  were  lined  with  works  to  prevent  its  reinforcement  or 
relief,  and  this  without  hindrance  from  any  quarter.  The  little 
garrison,  unsustained  by  official  sympathy  and  unsupported  by 
material  aid,  were  laboring,  with  the  limited  means  at  their 
disposal,  to  place  the  work  in  their  charge  in  a  state  of  efficient 
defense.  Six  States  had  severed  their  connection  with  the  Union 
as  far  as  their  own  act  could  accomplish  it,  and  had  established  a 
Government  of  their  own  in  full  operation.  But  the  friends  of  a 
peaceful  solution  of  the  questions  at  issue  were  active  and  confi- 
dent, and  it  was  believed  by  those  in  control  that  such  solution 
was  yet  possible,  as  long  as  either  side  should  abstain  from  any 
hostile  act.  The  firing  upon  the  Star  of  the  West  had  failed 
to  arouse  the  nation,  and  the  expedition  was  succeeded  by  the 
preparation  of  another  and  more  elaborate  scheme,  but  which,  in 
view  of  the  earnest  efforts  of  the  friends  of  peace,  and  the  absence 
of  any  active  hostility,  was  held  until  Major  Anderson  at  Fort 
Sumter  should  call  for  relief. 

It  had  been  arranged  that  the  expedition  under  Commander 
Ward,  before  alluded  to,  which  had  been  made  ready  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott  himself,  upon 
receiving  a  telegraphic  despatch  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
should  on  the  night  following  the  receipt  of  the  despatch,  set  sail 
at  once  for  Charleston  Harbor. 

It  was  at  this  crisis  that  the  letter  of  Major  Anderson,  con- 
taining the  estimate  of  himself  and  his  officers  as  to  what  force 
was  now  necessary,  in  their  judgment,  to  relieve  the  fort,  was 
received  at  the  War  Department  on  the  4th  of  March.  On  the 
28th  of  February  Anderson  had  called  suddenly  upon  his  officers 
to  submit  in  writing  to  him  what  force,  in  the  estimation  of  each 
of  them,  would  now  be  necessary  to  relieve  the  work.  They  were 
not  to  consult  with  each  other,  and  their  replies  must  be  immediate. 
The  opinions  of  the  officers  were  varied  as  to  the  number  of  men 
required,  but  all  agreed  that  the  co-operation  of  the  Navy  was 
essential.  The  estimate  of  Major  Anderson  was  that  he  would 
not  risk  his  reputation  with  less  than  20,000  men.  That  of  his 
officers  was  as  follows: 

Captain  J.  G.  Foster,  United  States  Engineers,  6,000  regulars 
or  20,000  volunteers  to  take  the  batteries,  and  10,000  regulars  or 
30,000  volunteers  to  hold  them;  First  Lieutenant  G.  W.  Snyder, 


284  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

United  States  Engineers,  4,000  men  with  four  vessels  of  war; 
Second  Lieutenant  R.  K.  Meade,  United  States  Engineers,  Assist- 
ant Surgeon  S.  W.  Crawford,  Medical  Staff,  4,000  men  supported 
by  naval  vessels;  Captain  Doubleday,  First  Artillery,  1,000  men 
with  naval  vessels;  Brevet  Captain  T.  Seymour,  First  Artillery, 
First  Lieutenant  T.  Talbot,  First  Artillery,  3,000  men  with  naval 
vessels;  First  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Davis,  First  Artillery,  3,000  men 
and  six  war  vessels;  Second  Lieutenant  N.  J.  Hall,  First  Artillery, 
3,500  men  and  seven  war  vessels.* 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  March  the  President,  with  some 
of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet,  had  gone  to  the  Capitol  for  the 
purpose  of  acting  upon  bills  presented  to  him,  when  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  appeared  with  the  letter  just  received  from  Major 
Anderson.  The  contents  of  the  letter  were  made  known  to  the 
President  and  to  his  Cabinet.  There  was  at  that  time  no  discus- 
sion in  regard  to  it,  the  President  merely  remarking,  upon  learn- 
ing its  contents,  that  it  was  "  now  a  matter  for  the  new  adminis- 
tration." 

It  was  at  once  perceived  that  the  Government  had  been  under 
an  erroneous  impression,  arising  from  the  statements  of  Major 
Anderson,  from  which  it  was  believed  that  Fort  Sumter  could  at 
any  time  be  relieved  by  the  expedition  under  Captain  Ward,  which 
had  been  made  ready  under  the  immediate  direction  of  Lieuten- 
ant-General  Scott  himself.  The  "  seeming  extravagant  estimate  " 
now  made  by  Major  Anderson  was  wholly  unanticipated  by  the 
President  or  his  Cabinet.  In  accordance  with  custom,  the  Presi- 
dent had  vacated  the  Executive  mansion  on  the  3d  of  March,  and 
had  removed  with  his  family  to  a  private  residence,  where, 
upon  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  March,  the  letter  of  Major 
Anderson  was  the  subject  of  conversation  between  him  and  his 
Cabinet,  who  had  called  to  take  their  leave  of  him.  Meantime 
the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt,  had  prepared  a  letter  to  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  to  accompany  that  of  Major  Anderson,  and,  upon 
the  morning  of  the  5th  of  March,  read  it  to  the  Ex-President  and 
such  members  of  his  Cabinet  as  had  come  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment. Mr.  Buchanan  expressed  himself  as  gratified  with  the 
answer  as  prepared  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  in  this  the 
members  of  his  old  Cabinet  concurred.  The  parting  of  the 


;  War  of  the  Rebellion."    Vol.  I,  Series  I,  p.  202. 


PRESIDENT  BUCHANAN  FAILS  TO  ACT.  285 

President  with  his  associates  took  place  soon  after,  and  the 
administration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  took  charge  of  the  Government, 
the  Secretary  of  War  having  continued  in  his  position  until  the 
qualification  of  his  successor  in  office.  On  the  afternoon  of  the 
5th  of  March  the  Secretary  of  War  transmitted  his  letter  accom- 
panied by  that  of  Major  Anderson  to  President  Lincoln  at  the 
Executive  mansion.  Shortly  afterward  the  President  sent  for 
the  Secretary,  and  taking  him  into  a  private  apartment,  asked 
him  if  at  any  time  in  his  intercourse  with  Anderson  he  had  occasion 
to  doubt  his  loyalty.  The  Secretary  replied  that  he  had  not, 
when  the  subject  was  dropped. 

The  failure  upon  the  part  of  the  President  to  reinforce  the 
Southern  forts,  or  any  of  them,  in  accordance  with  the  repeated 
suggestions  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott  and  the  urgent  recom- 
mendations of  his  Secretary  of  State,  Judge  Black,  and  others, 
had  produced  its  legitimate  result.  No  restraint  had  been  placed 
upon  such  hostile  measures  as  those  in  control  in  the  seceded 
States  had  seen  fit  to  inaugurate  and  to  perfect,  and  it  was  now, 
in  the  judgment  of  those  best  fitted  to  decide  the  important  ques- 
tion, too  late  to  attempt  such  relief  without  precipitating  a 
conflict,  become  in  the  very  nature  of  the  situation  inevitable. 

Had  such  relief  been  promptly  sent  when  Anderson,  from  Fort 
Moultrie,  clearly  defining  his  position  and  his  necessities,  had 
urged  with  an  earnestness  carried  to  the  verge  of  military  pro- 
priety, that  they  should  be  sent  to  him;  when  two  of  the  most 
distinguished  members  of  his  Cabinet,  who  from  the  beginning  of 
the  difficulties  had  tendered  to  him  but  one  advice  and  besought 
him  to  act;  when  no  State  had  yet  attempted  to  secede  from  the 
Union — the  situation  might  have  been  far  different.  It  is  true 
that  the  organized  force  legitimately  under  his  control,  as 
reported  by  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  was  small,  but  it  was  at  the 
time,  at  least,  sufficient  to  show  the  purpose  of  the  Government  and 
to  hold  Fort  Sumter  until  Congress  could  come  to  the  rescue  of  the 
country.  But  the  President  did  nothing.  His  fear  that  by  his 
own  act  he  might  inaugurate  hostilities  and  so  bring  on  civil  war, 
sustained  by  his  political  convictions  that  the  Union  could  not  be 
preserved  by  a  war  between  the  States,  his  overwhelming  desire 
for  peace  and  his  hope  to  keep  the  border  States,  amounted  to  a 
timidity  which  "wholly  incapacitated  him  for  action."  Launched 
into  political  power  in  Pennsylvania,  by  an  abandonment  of  his 


286  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

previous  political  principles,  he  had,  throughout  a  long  public 
career,  remained  the  politician,  and  had  rarely  risen  to  the 
level  of  practical  statesmanship.  Mr.  Buchanan  knew  that 
the  war  was  coming ;  he  saw  it  in  every  feature  of  those 
who  approached  him,  he  heard  it  in  their  every  tone.  In 
addition,  he  was,  up  to  the  moment  when  Anderson  moved 
the  command  of  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter,  largely  in- 
fluenced by  Southern  sentiment  and  controlled  by  Southern  men. 
As  far  as  his  constitutional  obligations  permitted,  he  yielded 
to  the  pressure  so  constantly  brought  to  bear  upon  him,  and 
accorded  to  them  their  every  demand.  They  were  his  constant 
associates.  In  his  Cabinet  they  were,  to  an  almost  exclusive 
extent,  his  advisers,  and  they  ruled  him  with  an  inflexible  purpose. 
He  had  agreed  with  them  that  the  status  then  existing  should 
not  be  disturbed,  and,  until  Anderson's  movement,  it  was  not 
disturbed,  nor  then  by  his  consent  or  even  with  his  knowledge. 
His  policy  was  to  protract,  not  to  meet  the  issue,  which,  in  the 
face  of  the  country,  was  precipitated  by  his  officer  in  command 
at  Charleston.  He  had  until  then  ever  failed  to  realize  the  real 
nature  and  extent  of  the  revolution,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  use 
"  State  politics  merely  as  counters  in  the  game  for  Federal 
power;"  he  recognized  the  present  popular  excitement  as  nothing 
more  than  another  of  the  many  agitations  by  which  men  had 
come  into  power,  and  reckoned  that,  like  the  others,  it  would  run 
its  course  and  be  followed  by  a  reaction  and  peace.  His  public 
life  as  President  had  not  won  the  affections  of  his  fellow-men. 
Indirect  in  his  ways  of  action,  wary  and  full  of  statecraft,  with  a 
cynical  estimate  of  men  from  party  experience,  Mr.  Buchanan 
had  utterly  misunderstood  the  real  nature  of  the  crisis  and  had 
compromised  "a  great  position  by  feeble  acts;"  and  when  at  last 
he  did  come  to  appreciate  his  position,  his  instinct  was  to  save 
his  administration  and  to  protect  himself.  He  had  come  into 
his  high  office  at  a  time  when  the  antagonism  between  the  sections 
had  attained  its  highest  point  of  development.  The  various  com- 
promises that  had  been  adopted  had  proved  but  lulls  in  the 
storm,  and  two  phases  of  civilization,  wholly  at  variance  with 
each  other,  had  developed  to  a  point  of  opposition  without  hope  of 
adjustment.  And  yet  Mr.  Buchanan  desired  and  strove  to  serve 
his  country.  He  had  asked  Congress  for  those  powers  necessary 
to  meet  the  unprecedented  condition  of  things,  but  whose  exer- 


BUCHANAN'S  ADMINISTRA  TION  CLOSES.  287 

cise  without  the  action  of  Congress  he  deemed  impossible.  To 
all  of  his  appeals  for  such  powers  Congress  treated  him  with 
indifference  if  not  with  contempt.  His  able  message  against  the 
right  of  secession,  his  declaration  that  he  was  resolved  to  main- 
tain the  laws  of  the  nation,  protect  its  property  and  to  collect  its 
revenue,  had  its  offset,  unfortunately,  in  his  diplomacy  with 
those  whom  he  could  not  control,  in  his  promises  to  preserve  the 
status,  to  receive  Commissioners,  and  to  refer  them  to  Congress. 
The  policy  was  an  individual  one  and  not  that  of  his  Cabinet, 
whose  Northern  members  he  had  not  consulted,  but  which  arose 
from  suggestions  and  promises  of  the  Southern  members,  both  of 
his  Cabinet  and  of  Congress,  as  well  as  from  unauthorized  and 
indirect  communication  with  the  South  Carolina  authorities.  And 
in  this  policy  he  persevered,  uninfluenced  by  the  resignation  of 
his  Secretary  of  State,  General  Cass,  unmoved  by  the  urgent 
entreaties  of  the  Attorney-General,  Judge  Black,  until  the  move- 
ment of  Major  Anderson  and  the  seizure  of  the  forts  in  Charles- 
ton Harbor  forced  upon  him  the  necessity  of  immediate  and 
decided  action  beyond  the  possibility  of  evasion. 

His  decision  in  regard  to  Anderson,  and  the  result  of  that 
decision,  forced  from  him  at  last  the  acknowledgment  that  he 
believed  there  was  a  revolution.  It  placed  him  wholly  upon  the 
side  of  Northern  sentiment  and  largely  determined  his  future 
action.  The  vacant  places  in  his  Cabinet  were  now  filled  by 
earnest  and  patriotic  men,  with  whom  he  worked  in  harmony 
until  the  last.  But  it  was  too  late,  and  he  saw  his  Southern 
friends  whose  advice  had  influenced  him,  and  whose  suggestions 
he  had  followed,  condemn  him  for  having  followed  their  counsel, 
suspend  even  their  personal  relations  with  him,  and  leave  him 
one  by  one.  And  thus,  with  the  issues  postponed  from  day  to 
day,  with  no  approach  to  any  settlement,  with  the  country  torn 
by  dissension,  with  an  entire  section  revolutionary  and  defiant, 
with  a  Treasury  impoverished  and  despoiled  designedly  for  a 
preconceived  purpose,  with  a  Congress  wholly  distrustful  of  him, 
and  with  a  large  proportion  of  his  countrymen  attributing  to  him 
and  his  official  course  the  responsibility  of  the  impending  ruin, 
the  administration  of  James  Buchanan  passed  into  history;  and 
when  history  shall  come  to  pen  the  record  of  the  close  of  his  career, 
it  will  judge  him  not  from  what  he  did,  but  what,  from  his  great 
opportunities  and  grave  responsibilities,  he  utterly  failed  to  do. 


288  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  new  administration  had  hardly  undertaken  the  direction 
of  the  Government,  when  the  subject  of  Fort  Sumter  in  its  various 
phases  was  forced  upon  their  attention,  and  under  circumstances 
that  rendered  immediate  and  effective  action  necessary.  At  any 
moment  hostilities  might  commence  at  Charleston;  the  Southern 
Commissioners  were  in  Washington  to  inaugurate  negotiations 
looking  to  a  positive  settlement  of  the  questions  arising  out  of 
the  action  of  the  seceded  States,  and  with  especial  reference  to  the 
Government  property  within  the  limits  of  the  Confederacy.  It 
was  at  this  crisis,  and  on  the  $th  of  March,  that  the  letter  of 
Major  Anderson  with  its  enclosures  was  laid  before  the  President 
by  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt,  in  a  letter  of  singular  dis- 
tinctness and  power.  The  Secretary  recalled  the  statements  of 
Major  Anderson  received  from  time  to  time,  ' '  that  he  was  where 
the  Government  might  reinforce  him  at  its  leisure;  that  he  was 
safe;  that  he  could  command  the  harbor  as  long  as  the  Govern- 
ment wished  to  keep  it."  His  communication  of  the  6th  of 
January  was  also  referred  to,  in  which  he  had  reported  that  he 
could  hold  the  fort  against  any  force  which  could  be  brought  against 
him.  These,  said  the  Secretary,  as  well  as  the  "intelligent 
statements ' '  of  Lieutenant  Talbot,  who  had  been  sent  to  Wash- 
ington, had  relieved  the  Government  of  any  apprehension  for 
his  safety,  and  on  the  i6th  of  January  Major  Anderson  had  been 
so  informed,  and  also  that  it  was  not  the  purpose  of  the  Govern- 
ment at  that  time  to  reinforce  him,  but  that  whenever  in  his 
judgment  supplies  or  reinforcement  were  necessary  for  his  safety 
or  a  successful  defense,  he  was  to  communicate  the  fact,  and  a 
"prompt  and  vigorous  effort "  would  be  made  to  send  them. 
Major  Anderson  had  not  since  made  any  such  request.  He  had 
reported  the  progress  of  the  batteries  in  construction  around  him, 
but  as  late  as  the  3oth  of  January  he  had  urged  with  emphasis, 
that  he  hoped  that  no  attempt  would  be  made  by  friends  to 
throw  supplies  in,  and  that  their  doing  so  would  do  more  harm 
than  good. 

His  letter  of  the  5th  of  February  was  also  quoted  and  the 
suggestion  made  by  him  of  "a  small  party  successfully  slipping 
in,"  had  been  considered  carefully  and  rejected  as  imprac- 
ticable. 

His  chief  engineer  officer  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  opinion 
in  regards  to  reinforcements,  and  in  his  letter  to  his  chief,  of 


MAJOR  ANDERSON  FEELS  SECURE.  289 

the  1 4th  of  January,  he  says:  "I  do  not  consider  it  good  policy 
to  send  reinforcements  here  at  this  time.  We  can  hold  our  own 
as  long  as  it  is  necessary  to  do  so." 

In  view  of  these  very  distinct  declarations  of  Major  Anderson 
and  the  earnest  desire  to  avoid  a  collision,  the  line  of  policy  laid 
down  had  been  adhered  to  by  the  Government;  and  in  anticipa- 
tion of  a  call  from  Major  Anderson  the  Ward  expedition,  under 
the  supervision  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  had  been  prepared 
and  was  ready  to  sail,  but  it  was  not  upon  the  scale  approaching 
the  "  seeming  exaggerated  estimate  of  Major  Anderson."  The 
Government  were  unprepared  for  the  disclosures  of  Major  Ander- 
son, and  were  taken  by  surprise,  as  he  had  not  before  intimated 
any  such  necessity. 

But  however  impressed  the  Government  might  have  been  with 
the  statements  of  Major  Anderson  as  quoted  by  the  Secretary  of 
War,  it  is  not  the  less  certain  that  since  his  entry  into  Fort 
Sumter  he  had  been  impressed  with  the  steadily  growing  im- 
portance and  strength  of  the  works  around  him,  and  of  the 
necessity  of  the  employment  of  a  large  force  in  case  it  should  be 
determined  to  relieve  him,  and  of  this  he  kept  the  Government 
constantly  apprised.  He  felt  himself  at  this  time  comparatively 
secure,  and  his  every  effort,  as  well  as  that  of  the  officers  under 
him,  was  to  strengthen  his  position  by  every  means  in  his  power. 
His  views  since  his  entrance  into  Fort  Sumter  had  undergone  a 
change  in  regard  to  the  sending  of  reinforcements.  He  did  not 
now  apply  that  such  should  be  sent  to  him,  as  he  felt  that  it 
would  put  upon  him  the  responsibility  of  precipitating  the  con- 
flict and  inaugurating  civil  war.  Two  days  after  his  entrance 
into  the  work  he  had  informed  his  Government  that,  "God  will- 
ing," he  would  in  a  few  days  be  so  strong  that  the  South  Caro- 
linians "would  hardly  be  foolish  enough  to  attack  (me)  him." 
He  thought  that  the  city  of  Charleston  was  entirely  in  his  power; 
that  he  could  cut  off  its  communications  by  sea  and  close  its 
harbor  by  destroying  its  light- houses,  and  he  believed  in  his  ability 
to  do  it. 

On  the  5th  of  February  he  had  reported  to  his  Government 
the  progress  and  character  of  the  works  around  him  as  follows : 
"  Their  engineering  appears  to  be  well  devised  and  well  executed, 
and  their  works  even  in  their  present  condition,  will  make  it  impos- 
sible for  any  hostile  force  other  than  a  large  and  well-appointed 


290  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

one,  to  enter  this  harbor,  and  the  chances  are  that  it  will  then  be 
at  a  great  sacrifice  of  life.  Again,  upon  the  i4th  of  February  he 
reported  that  "vessels  will  be  under  fire  from  Morris  Island  after 
they  pass  the  first  battery,"  and,  in  a  subsequent  communication, 
that  they  would  be  under  such  fire  "  until  they  got  under  the 
walls  of  this  work."  These  opinions  were  early  entertained  by 
Major  Anderson,  and  made  known  to  his  Government,  and  when 
at  a  later  period  an  able  and  experienced  head  had  arrived  in 
Charleston  to  direct  the  operations  against  him,  the  increased  activ- 
ity soon  manifested,  the  rapid  establishment  of  formidable 
works  to  close  the  harbor,  and  the  engineering  ability  everywhere 
displayed,  soon  converted  the  opinions  of  Major  Anderson  into 
a  firm  conviction  which  the  result  in  every  way  justified.  Yet  he 
did  not  ask  for  reinforcements,  and  his  reasons  therefor  have 
been  set  forth  with  great  clearness  in  a  response  made  by  him  to  a 
lady  correspondent  who  had  written  to  him  on  the  5th  of  April,  1861, 
from  Rhode  Island,  in  sympathy  with  his  position,  as  well  as  in 
reflection  upon  the  Government  for  its  inaction  in  tendering  to 
him  voluntary  aid.  After  an  acknowledgment  of  the  offer,  Major 
Anderson  says:  "  Justice,  however,  compels  me  not  to  stop  here, 
but  to  take  upon  myself  the  blame  of  the  Government's  not  having 
sent  to  my  rescue.  Had  I  demanded  reinforcements  while  Mr. 
Holt  was  in  the  War  Department  I  know  that  he  would  have  des- 
patched them  at  all  hazards.  I  did  not  ask  them,  because  I  knew 
that  the  moment  it  should  be  known  here  that  additional  troops 
were  coming,  they  would  assault  me  and  thus  inaugurate  civil  war. 
My  policy,  feeling — thanks  be  to  God! — secure  for  the  present  in 
my  stronghold,  was  to  keep  still,  to  preserve  peace,  to  give  time  for 
the  quieting  of  the  excitement,  which  was  at  one  time  very  high 
throughout  this  region,  in  the  hope  of  avoiding  bloodshed.  There 
is  now  a  prospect  that  that  hope  will  be  realized,  that  the  separation 
which  has  been  inevitable  for  months,  will  be  consummated  with- 
out the  shedding  of  one  drop  of  blood.  The  ladies  must  not 
then  blame  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration,  nor  the 
present  one,  for  not  having  sent  me  reinforcements.  I  demanded 
them  under  Mr.  Floyd.  The  time  when  they  might  have  been 
sent  has  passed  weeks  ago;  and  I  must  ask  you,  too,  in  praising 
me,  not  to  do  injustice  to  my  brother  officers,  a  vast  majority  of 
whom  would,  placed  in  the  same  circumstances,  have  acted  at 
least  as  well  as  I  have  done.  God  has,  I  feel,  been  pleased  to 


RIFLED  CANNON  SENT  FROM  ENGLAND. 


291 


use  me  as  an  instrument  in  effecting  a  purpose  which  will,  I  trust, 
end  in  making  us  all  a  better  and  a  wiser  people.  ...  A 
hope  may  be  indulged  in  that  our  errant  sisters,  thus  leaving  us, 
as  friends,  may  at  some  future  time  be  won  back  by  conciliation 
and  justice."* 

Anderson  now  felt  strong  in  his  position,  and  he  frequently 
remarked  to  the  writer  that  he  controlled  the  situation.  His 
whole  effort  was  to  effect,  as  far  as  it  lay  in  his  power,  a  peaceful 
solution  of  the  difficulties.  Within  Fort  Sumter  the  work  yet  re- 
maining to  be  done  was  pushed  on  with  vigor  and  enthusiasm.  The 
trouble  that  had  at  one  time  existed  among  the  workmen  had 
ceased.  No  more  of  the  laborers  had  for  some  time  been  dis- 
charged, and  all  were  employed  at  any  necessary  work,  which  they 
accepted  willingly.  The  enlisted  men  were  in  good  spirits  and 
worked  with  alacrity,  every  one  seeming  to  feel  the  responsibility 
of  his  position.  The  difficulties  in  regard  to  the  fresh  pro- 
visions had  been  adjusted;  the  mails  were  sent  regularly,  and  the 
garrison  maintained  in  a  high  state  of  health.  Every  effort  to 
strengthen  and  to  prepare  the  work  to  resist  an  attack  that  all  felt 
must  sooner  or  later  be  made  upon  it,  was  made,  and  in  the 
daily  and  detailed  reports  of  his  action,  from  what  he  could  see 
and  infer  as  to  the  works  erected  around  him,  Major  Anderson 
kept  the  Government  at  'Washington  fully  apprised  of  his  con- 
dition and  prospects. 

The  same  course  was  followed  by  the  engineer  officer,  who 
in  his  daily  reports  to  his  chief,  which  were  often  submitted  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  and  to  the  General-in-Chief,  gave  a  minute  and 
detailed  journal  of  events.  In  addition,  admirable  sketches  were 
made  by  Captain  Seymour  from  time  to  time,  of  the  work  going 
on  around  the  fort,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained  by  observation 
through  our  glasses,  as  well  as  what  was  done  inside  of  the  work 
by  the  command. 

A  notice  that  three  rifled  cannon  had  been  shipped  from  Eng- 
land to  Charleston  had  arrested  his  attention,  and  on  the  ;th  of 
February  he  reports  to  his  Government  that  such  an  addition  to  the 
batteries  opposed  to  him  would  make  his  position  much  less 
secure  than  he  had  considered  it,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary 
to  reinforce  him  in  a  few  days  after  the  commencement  of  hostili- 


*  From  the  original  letter  of  Major  Anderson,  in  writer's  possession. 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

ties.  His  anticipations  were  fully  realized.  But  one  gun  arrived. 
It  was  placed  in  position  on  Cummings  Point,  and,  as  will  be  sub- 
sequently seen,  rendered  efficient  service. 

Meantime,  Lieutenant  Hall  had  returned  from  Washington, 
bringing  to  Major  Anderson  and  his  command  the  approval  of 
the  authorities  and  of  General  Scott,  which  served  to  encourage 
the  men  and  confirm  them  in  their  work.  His  position  had  sub- 
jected him  to  many  annoyances,  which  he  felt,  and  which  com- 
pelled him  to  correspond  constantly  with  the  authorities  in  Charles- 
ton. On  the  morning  of  the  i2th  of  February,  one  of  the 
guard-boats  that  were  constantly  on  duty  around  the  fort, 
approached  so  near  that  she  was  hailed  by  the  sentinel  and 
warned  off,  but  continuing  to  approach  she  was  fired  over,  when 
she  altered  her  course.  It  was  considered  fortunate  that  the  bat- 
tery did  not  open. 

Upon  the  immediate  representations  made  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  of  the  State,  "renewed  instructions"  were  issued  to  the 
vessels  to  keep  at  a  proper  distance,  so  as  to  prevent  any  collision. 
Packages  for  the  officers  that  had  come  to  their  address,  were 
retained  without  any  just  cause — the  private  property  of  Captain 
Foster  had  not  been  sent,  and  also  some  private  property  belong- 
ing to  one  of  the  men,  which  had  been  left  at  Fort  Moultrie. 
The  popular  feeling  in  Charleston  was  wholly  hostile  to  the 
retention  of  the  work  by  the  Government,  and  the  principal 
papers  kept  alive  that  feeling  by  a  constant  succession  of  articles 
calculated  to  excite  and  alarm.* 

The  people  were  incensed  against  the  Governor  for  permitting 
provisions  to  be  sent  to  the  fort,  and  they  threatened  to  prevent 
it,  but  the  Governor  had  declared  that,  if  necessary,  he  would 
order  a  "  company  of  soldiers  to  put  them  on  board  the  boat." 

The  work  upon  the  floating  battery  was  now  near  completion, 
and  in  anticipation  of  its  use,  Major  Anderson  asks  for  instruc- 
tions in  case  of  its  taking  position  near  his  work.  To  this  the 
Secretary  of  War  replied  on  the  23d.  He  was  informed  that  it 


*  WASHINGTON,  February  21,6  P.M.— There  is  the  best  of  reason  for  believ- 
ing that  Holt  designs  reinforcing  secretly  by  boats  at  night.  The  reinforce- 
ments having  already  been  sent,  you  may  look  out  for  them  at  any  moment 
The  whole  anxiety  of  Scott  and  the  coercionists  centers  now  in  Fort  Sumter. 
There  the  Cabinet  has  determined  that  Lincoln  shall  find  everything  ready  to 
his  hand. — Charleston  Mercury. 


SECRETARY  OF  WAR  TO  ANDERSON. 


293 


was  "  not  easy  to  answer  satisfactorily  this  important  question  " 
at  such  a  distance  from  the  scene  of  action. 

The  policy  indicated  to  him  in  a  previous  communication 
must  continue  to  guide  him.  He  was  to  act  strictly  on  the  defen- 
sive, and  to  avoid,  consistently  with  his  safety,  all  collision  with 
the  force  around  him.  These  instructions  would  not  now  be 
changed,  but  if  he  had  sufficient  evidence  that  the  battery  was 
advancing  to  assault  him,  he  would  be  justified,  in  self-defense,  in 
not  awaiting  its  arrival,  but  in  repelling  it  by  force.  If  it  was 
only  approaching  "  to  take  up  a  position  at  a  good  distance,"  and 
his  safety  was  not  "clearly  endangered,"  he  should  act  with 
that  forbearance  which  had  distinguished  him  in  permitting  the 
South  Carolinians  to  strengthen  Fort  Moultrie  and  erect  new  bat- 
teries for  the  defense  of  the  harbor.  And  this  would  keep  the 
pledge  of  the  War  Department  to  Colonel  Hayne.  Despatches 
had  been  received  which  had  impressed  the  President  with  the 
belief  that  there  would  be  no  immediate  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter, 
and  that  the  labors  of  the  Peace  Congress,  then  in  session,  added 
to  the  powerful  motives  existing  to  avoid  a  collision.  This  im- 
portant letter  is  given  in  full : 

"  WAR  DEPARTMENT,  February  23,  1861. 

"  MAJOR  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"  First  Artillery r,  Com' 'g  Fort  Sumter,  Charleston  Harbor, 
S.  C.  : 

"  SIR  :  It  is  proper  I  should  state  distinctly  that  you  hold 
Fort  Sumter  as  you  held  Fort  Moultrie,  under  the  verbal  orders 
communicated  by  Major  Buell,  subsequently  modified  by 
instructions  addressed  to  you  from  this  Department,  under  date 
of  the  2ist  of  December,  1860. 

"  In  your  letter  to  Adjutant-General  Cooper,  of  the  i6th 
instant,  you  say  : 

"  '  I  should  like  to  be  instructed  on  a  question  which  may 
present  itself  in  reference  to  the  floating  battery,  viz.:  What 
course  would  it  be  proper  for  me  to  take  if,  without  a  declaration 
of  war  or  a  notification  of  hostilities,  I  should  see  them  approach- 
ing my  fort  with  that  battery  ?  They  may  attempt  placing  it 
within  good  distance  before  a  declaration  of  hostile  intention.' 

"It  is  not  easy  to  answer  satisfactorily  this  important  ques- 
tion at  this  distance  from  the  scene  of  action.  In  my  letter  to 
you  of  the  loth  of  January  I  said  : 

"You  will  continue,  as  heretofore,  to  act  strictly  on  the 
defensive,  and  to  avoid,  by  all  means  compatible  with  the  safety 
of  your  command,  a  collision  with  the  hostile  forces  by  which  you 
are  surrounded.' 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

"  The  policy  thus  indicated  must  still  govern  your  conduct. 

"The  President  is  not  disposed  at  the  present  moment  to 
change  the  instructions  under  which  you  have  been  heretofore 
acting,  or  to  occupy  any  other  than  a  defensive  position.  If 
however,  you  are  convinced  by  sufficient  evidence  that  the 
raft  of  which  you  speak  is  advancing  for  the  purpose  of 
making  an  assault  upon  the  fort,  then  you  would  be  justified  on 
the  principle  of  self-defense  in  not  awaiting  its  actual  arrival 
there,  but  in  repelling  force  by  force  on  its  approach.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  you  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  approaching 
merely  to  take  up  a  position  at  a  good  distance  should  the  pending 
question  be  not  amicably  settled,  then,  unless  your  safety  is  so 
clearly  endangered  as  to  render  resistance  an  act  of  necessary 
self-defense  and  protection,  you  will  act  with  that  forbearance 
which  has  distinguished  you  heretofore  in  permitting  the  South 
Carolinians  to  strengthen  Fort  Moultrie  and  erect  new  batteries 
for  the  defense  of  the  harbor.  This  will  be  but  a  redemption  of 
the  implied  pledge  contained  in  my  letter  on  behalf  of  the  Presi- 
dent to  Colonel  Hayne,  in  which,  when  speaking  of  Fort  Sumter, 
it  is  said  : 

" '  The  attitude  of  that  garrison,  as  has  been  often  declared,  is 
neither  menacing  nor  defiant  nor  unfriendly.  It  is  acting  under 
orders  to  stand  strictly  on  the  defensive,  and  the  Government 
and  people  of  South  Carolina  must  know  that  they  can  never 
receive  aught  but  shelter  from  its  guns,  unless,  in  the  absence  of 
all  provocation,  they  should  assault  it  and  seek  its  destruction.' 

"A  despatch  received  in  this  city  a  few  days  since  from 
Governor  Pickens,  connected  with  the  declaration  on  the  part  of 
those  convened  at  Montgomery,  claiming  to  act  on  behalf  of 
South  Carolina  as  well  as  the  other  seceded  States,  that  the  ques- 
tion of  the  possession  of  the  forts  and  other  public  property 
therein  had  been  taken  from  the  decision  of  the  individual  States, 
and  would  probably  be  preceded  in  its  settlement  by  negotiation 
with  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  has  impressed  the 
President  with  a  belief  that  there  will  be  no  immediate  attack  on 
Fort  Sumter,  and  the  hope  is  indulged  that  wise  and  patriotic 
counsels  may  prevail  and  prevent  it  altogether. 

"  The  labors  of  the  Peace  Congress  have  not  yet  closed,  and 
the  presence  of  that  body  here  adds  another  to  the  powerful 
motives  already  existing  for  the  adoption  of  every  measure,  except 
in  necessary  self-defense,  for  avoiding  a  collision  with  the  forces 
that  surround  you. 

"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
«  J.  HOLT." 

Again,  on  the  28th  inst.,  the  Adjutant-General  at  Washington 
informs  him,  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  a  basis  of 
settlement  had  been  agreed  upon  by  the  Peace  Convention,  and 


FRAME  BUILDINGS  USED  FOR  FUEL. 


295 


that  the  Secretary  entertained  the  hope  that  nothing  of  a  hostile 
character  would  occur.  The  criticisms  of  their  position,  and  of 
the  action  of  the  Government,  in  the  daily  journals  of  Charleston, 
discouraged  the  garrison,  who  felt  that  the  Government  had,  in  a 
measure,  deserted  them.  Letters  from  all  quarters  flowed  in 
upon  Major  Anderson  and  upon  his  officers,  and  he  devoted  a  large 
proportion  of  his  time  in  responding  to  them.  The  speeches  of  the 
President-elect  as  he  approached  Washington,  from  their  pacific  na- 
ture produced  a  depressing  effect  upon  the  garrison,  who  were  dis- 
appointed in  them.  Major  Anderson  became  silent  and  thought- 
ful, and  said  that  he  was  "  in  the  hands  of  God."  The  position 
of  the  garrison,  their  future,  and  the  capacity  of  the  fort  to  resist 
an  attack — become  now,  to  them,  almost  inevitable — was  the  sub- 
ject of  daily  discussion,  as  the  necessities  of  their  condition  became 
more  urgent.  Towards  the  close  of  February  the  supply  of  fuel 
ran  short,  and  the  temporary  frame  structures  on  the  parade  were 
taken  down  for  fire-wood,  as  had  been  anticipated  by  Major 
Anderson  in  his  communication  to  the  War  Department  of  the 
25th  of  January.  On  the  23d  it  was  announced  by  the  engineer 
officer  that  he  had  to  take  down  another  temporary  building  to 
obtain  fuel,  and  that  a  second  one  yet  standing  would  furnish 
fuel  as  long  as  the  provisions  lasted.  On  the  26th  a  third  build- 
ing was  taken  down,  leaving  two  remaining  structures  with  twelve 
gun-carriages  as  the  only  material  for  fuel;  and  on  the  ijth  of 
March,  the  supply  being  nearly  exhausted,  the  apparatus  from 
the  blacksmith's  shop  was  removed  into  one  of  the  casemates, 
and  the  building  used  as  fuel. 

The  parade  was  thus  gradually  cleared,  and  the  stone  flagging 
which  encumbered  it  placed  on  end,  so  that  shells  falling  upon 
it  would  be  buried  in  the  sand.  Two  of  the  enlisted  men  whose 
term  of  service  had  expired,  determined  to  remain  and  share  the 
fate  of  the  garrison. 

On  the  28th  of  February  a  strong  recommendation  was  made 
by  all  of  the  engineer  officers,  that  the  armament  of  the 
gorge,  which  now  consisted  of  but  six  24-pounders,  should  be 
at  once  increased  by  altering  the  casemate  into  barbette 
carriages,  and  mounting  guns  upon  them.  The  recommenda- 
tion was  approved  by  Major  Anderson,  and  the  whole  engineer 
force  was  put  to  work,  under  Lieutenant  Snyder,  upon  carrying 
it  out.  Upon  the  following  day  one  carriage  was  so  altered  and 


296  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

adapted  to  the  new  condition,  and  raised  to  the  parapet,  and  one 
42-pounder  mounted  upon  it  so  that  the  gun  could  be  used 
"  with  more  effect  than  the  others  on  the  barbette  tier." 

The  armament  of  this  tier  now  consisted  of  twenty-seven  guns. 
The  parapet  in  front  of  one  of  the  24  -  pounders  at  the 
left  gorge  angle  had  been  cut  away,  so  that  the  gun  could  be 
depressed  to  eighteen  degrees  and  cover  the  end  of  the  wharf 
with  its  fire.  Machicouli  galleries  lined  with  one-half  inch  iron 
plate  were  placed  on  each  face  and  flank,  and  on  the  gorge  com- 
manding the  main  gate.  The  necessary  ammunition,  consisting 
of  grape  and  canister  and  shot  and  shell  in  abundance  for  each 
gun,  was  placed  at  intervals  upon  the  gorge.  Additional  8-inch 
shells,  to  be  used  as  grenades  and  to  explode  upon  the  ten- 
sion of  the  lanyard  to  which  they  were  attached,  were  also 
arranged  at  convenient  distances  for  immediate  use.  Guns  were 
moved,  and  remounted  in  better  positions.  On  the  izth  a  second 
lo-inch  Columbiad  was  raised  to  the  parapet  and  placed  in  posi- 
tion upon  the  left  flank.  Large  barrels  filled  with  rocks,  with 
an  8-inch  shell  in  the  centre — a  suggestion  due  to  Captain  Sey- 
mour, and  carried  out  by  him — were  placed  along  the  parapet. 
Upon  being  rolled  over,  the  shell  was  to  explode  by  means  of 
the  friction  tube  attached  to  a  lanyard  of  proper  length. 

The  forty-one  large  openings  on  the  second  tier,  and  which 
upon  the  occupancy  of  the  work  had  been  temporarily  filled,  were 
now  permanently  closed.  A  three-foot  wall  of  brick  laid  in 
cement,  and  supported  by  stone  flagging  or  sand  or  dry  bricks  and 
refuse  material,  rendered  them  as  secure  as  the  means  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  engineer  would  allow. 

The  same  number  of  guns  as  en  barbette  composed  the 
armament  of  the  first  tier,  and  of  these  eighteen  were  in  readiness 
for  ' '  instant  service. ' ' 

For  greater  security,  where  nine  guns  were  mounted,  but  not 
immediately  required  for  use,  stone  flagging  or  brick  laid  in  mortar 
in  addition  to  the  outer  shutter,  closed  the  embrasure  temporarily. 
Where  there  were  no  guns  the  embrasures  were  closed  by  an  18- 
inch  brick  wall  in  mortar,  by  dry  stone  flagging  or  by  brick  and 
stone  in  mortar.  The  embrasures  in  front  of  the  guns  for 
immediate  service  were  closed  by  an  additional  inner  6-inch 
shutter,  the  two  secured  and  fastened  by  an  iron  key.  Stones  were 
removed  from  the  enrockment  outside  the  fort  below  the  embra- 
sures, so  as  to  increase  the  difficulties  of  an  assault. 


GORGE  WALL  STRENGTHENED. 


297 


The  gorge  wall  received  the  special  attention  of  the  engineers. 
It  was  the  weakest  part  of  the  work,  and  this  was  increased  by  the 
large  number  of  windows  and  ventilators  in  its  structure.  It  was 
soon  evident,  too,  that  it  was  to  be  subjected  to  the  heaviest  fire 
from  the  enemy's  guns,  and  every  device  that  could  be  suggested 
was  employed  by  the  engineers  in  its  protection.  Its  windows  and 
ventilators  were  thoroughly  protected  by  two  solid  iron  jambs, 
which  were  placed  in  the  recesses  of  each  of  the  windows  of  the 
second  tier.  The  doors  on  the  lower  tier  were  secured  by  thick 
wooden  shutters  against  a  wall  of  brick  nine  inches  thick,  and  on 
the  outside  heavy  stones  were  placed,  made  solid  by  wedges  of 


ADJUSTABLE   IRON   SHUTTER,    LOWER   TIER. 

molten  lead.  The  parade  had  now  been  cleared  of  encumbrance,  the 
temporary  buildings  gone,  and  the  stone  flagging  placed  upright. 
To  secure  the  hospital,  splinter-proof  traverses  were  constructed, 
and  revetted  with  stone  in  front  of  the  hospital  and  ordnance  room. 
The  main  entrance  to  the  work,  another  source  of  weakness,  was 
now  closed  by  a  strong  wall  of  stone  and  brick  built  against  the 
outer  gate,  in  which  an  embrasure  was  cut  and  an  8-inch  seacoast 
howitzer  mounted  over  it,  and  the  wall  itself  loop-holed  for 
musketry,  and  the  gate  covered  with  half-inch  iron  plates. 

Anderson  now  determined  to  mine  the  wharf,  and  on  the  pth 
of  February  two  mines  were  laid  containing  twenty-five  pounds  of 


298 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


powder,  which  were  completed  by  the  i3th,  with  the  preparations 
for  firing  them;  at  the  same  time  two  fougasses  were  located 
against  the  sea  wall  and  upon  the  esplanade.  They  were  charged 
with  fifty  pounds  of  powder,  and  were  ready  for  firing  by  the 
26th.  The  arrangement  of  the  mines  as  laid  by  Captain  Foster 
was  unsatisfactory  to  Major  Anderson,  who  directed  them  to  be 
taken  up  and  relaid  as  he  required,  and  preparations  made  to  fire 
them  from  the  inside. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Work  at  Sumter — Reports  of  Anderson  and  Captain  Foster — Work  at 
Cummings  Point— Firing  for  range  from  channel  batteries — Foster  reports 
batteries  around — Inaugural  of  President  Lincoln — Warlike  construction 
placed  upon  it  General  Beauregard  assumes  command — Urged  by  Mont- 
gomery Government  to  push  the  work — Reports  of  evacuation  of  Fort 
Sumter — Confederate  Secretary  of  War  informs  Beauregard — Apprehen- 
sion as  to  mines— Correspondence  of  Beauregard  and  Anderson  —Terms 
required — Anderson  "  deeply  hurt  "  at  the  conditions  imposed — Wigfall 
establishes  recruiting  station  in  Baltimore  for  the  Confederacy — Adjutant- 
General  Samuel  Cooper,  United  States  Army,  resigns  his  commission — 
Takes  similar  position  in  the  Confederacy — Peace  Convention  in  session 
in  Virginia — Defeats  resolution  of  secession — President  Lincoln  determines 
to  confer  with  some  prominent  Union  member— J.  B.  Baldwin  selected  — 
Propositions  said  to  have  been  made — Denials — Controversy  in  consequence 
— Baldwin  returns — Convention  passes  the  Ordinance  of  Secession — Presi- 
dent's proclamation — Both  sides  prepare  for  the  inevitable  struggle. 

ALMOST  daily  through  the  month  of  March  both  Anderson  and 
Foster  made  reports  to  Washington,  and  principally  with  reference 
to  the  works  going  on  around  the  fort,  their  progress  and  arma- 
ment. In  Fort  Sumter  the  time  was  occupied  in  mounting  and 
rearranging  heavy  guns  at  the  parapet  of  the  gorge,  and  in  strength- 
ening the  gorge  wall  itself.  The  exterior  openings  of  the  first  tier 
loop-holes  on  the  gorge  were  filled  up,  a  suggestion  made  by  Cap- 
tain Doubleday.  The  main  gate  was  strengthened  to  resist  the 
shock  in  firing  the  8-inch  howitzer  in  position,  traverses  were 
erected  in  front  of  the  hospital  and  ordnance  storeroom,  and  the 
parapet  was  cut  away  so  as  to  permit  the  lo-inch  Columbiad  to  be 
traversed.  On  the  27th  the  report  made  by  Captain  Seymour  and 
Lieutenant  Snyder,  as  to  the  exact  condition  of  the  work,  was 
communicated  confidentially  to  the  War  Department  by  Major 
Anderson.  At  that  time  the  armament  of  the  fort  consisted  of 
twenty-seven  guns,  en  barbette  and  twenty-seven  on  the  lower  tier, 
eighteen  of  which  were  in  readiness  for  instant  service.  On  the 
parade  were  four  8-inch  and  one  lo-inch  Columbiads. 

Upon  the  same  day  Captain  Foster  enclosed  to  his  chief  the 

following  sketch  of  the  armament  of  the  fort. 

299 


^00  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 

o 

Major  Anderson  had  early  recognized  the  new  purpose  man- 
ifested in  regard  to  him,  and  on  the  pth  of  March,  as  previously 
stated,  he  had  communicated  to  his  Government  that  even  then  any 
vessels  coming  in  by  the  Morris  Island  channel  would  be  under 
fire  of  the  batteries  from  the  time  they  crossed  the  bar  until  they 
reached  his  work.  "  More  earnestness  "  was  now  reported  by 
Foster,  as  well  as  the  landing  of  heavy  guns  on  siege  carriages.  On 
the  pth  a  large  guard-ship  was  anchored  on  the  bar,  and  two  cut- 
ters, armed  with  guns  seized  previously  by  the  South  Carolinians, 
took  up  a  position  near  Cummings  Point,  on  the  "  main  ship 


AN   EMBRASURE   OUTSIDE. 

channel."  As  the  month  of  March  progressed,  the  batteries  in 
progress  at  Cummings  Point  were  closed  in  the  rear  by  a  line  of 
intrenchments  composed  of  redoubts  connected  by  parapets  and 
secured  in  the  rear  from  our  fire.  Toward  the  middle  of  the 
month  there  appeared  to  be  a  lull  in  the  operations  going  on  around 
the  fort.  It  was  ascribed  to  the  pacific  news  which  had  come  on 
the  nth,  when  150  guns  were  fired  from  the  batteries  around. 

The  report  was  that  Fort  Sumter  was  to  be  evacuated.  It  was 
in  no  way  official,  and  yet  the  impression  produced  upon  the  gar- 
rison was  so  positive  in  its  character  that  preparations  in  antici- 
pation of  orders  to  that  effect  were  commenced.  Under  this 


FOS TER  REPOR TS  RA  TTERIES  AROUND.  3 Q  I 

impression  the  garrison  labored  until  the  last.  The  work  around 
the  fort  seemed  to  be  at  "  a  standstill,  and  most  of  the  men,  both 
military  and  laboring,  were  withdrawn  from  them."  By  the  i6th, 
however,  the  work  was  resumed  and  "considerable  activity" 
exhibited  in  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island. 

On  the  1 5th,  a  gun  was  fired  from  the  floating  battery  in 
Charleston,  which  served  to  show  that  it,  too,  had  now  received  its 
armament.  On  the  i8th,  near  midnight,  one  of  the  buoys  that 
marked  the  middle  ship  channel,  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the 
fort,  was  removed.  Upon  the  same  day  the  position  of  twenty- 
three  guns  was  observed,  as  indicated  by  the  firing  that  took  place 
for  range  or  experiment  on  Morris  Island.  Again  there  seemed  to 
be  a  relaxation  in  the  work,  although  it  did  not  cease  entirely  at 
some  points,  and  the  engineer  officer  reported  on  the  2oth  that  "  all 
operations  looking  to  an  attack  on  this  fort  have  ceased." 

The  work  went  on  steadily  upon  the  batteries  bearing  upon  the 
channels.  The  new  operations  were  soon  recognized  by  Major  An- 
derson. As  the  month  progressed,  more  energetic  action  was 
exhibited,  again  to  be  followed  by  an  apparent  suspension  of  work 
at  some  points,  and  a  lack  of  activity;  and  he  reported  on  March 
1 6,  "The  little  that  is  being  done  is  at  the  channel  batteries  on 
Morris  Island,  and  the  mortar  battery  on  James  Island."  It  was  at 
this  period  that  the  messengers  before  mentioned  arrived  to  con- 
sult with  Major  Anderson,  and  which  seemed,  to  the  garrison,  to 
confirm  the  report  that  they  were  to  be  withdrawn  to  the  North. 
On  the  27th  a  new  battery,  not  far  from  the  Moultrie  House,  on 
Sullivan's  Island  was  ordered,  making,as  Major  Anderson  thought, 
four  batteries  between  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  eastern  end  of  Sul- 
livan's Island.  "They  practice  daily,"  said  he,  "firing  shot 
and  shell  in  the  direction  of  the  Swash  and  Main  channels  ;  their 
practice  is  pretty  good." 

Meantime,  the  floating  battery,  with  its  armament  on  board, had 
been  moved  from  its  moorings  to  a  position  that  could  not  be 
detected  by  us.  There  was  a  feverish  anticipation  of  some 
immediate  change,  and  an  increased  sensitiveness  in  regard  to 
any  dealings  with  the  city.  A  boat  that  had  come  to  the  fort  to 
bear  a  letter  from  the  Confederate  general  to  Major  Anderson 
had,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  latter,  left  a  small  parcel. 

This  was  made  the  subject  of  a  communication  to  General 
Beauregard,  with  a  statement  that  orders  had  been  given  to  "  pre- 


302 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


vent  the  recurrence  of  such  irregularity;"  and  the  letter  concluded 
with  an  expression  which  showed  that  his  removal  was  confidently 
anticipated  by  Major  Anderson.  "  Trusting,"  said  he,  "  that  in 
a  few  days  we  shall  be  placed  in  a  position  which  will  be  more 
agreeable  and  acceptable  to  both  of  us  than  the  anomalous  one 
we  now  occupy,  I  am,  &c."* 

The  last  of  March  had  now  come.  Everything  was  quiet  as 
the  work  progressed  around  the  fort,  apparently  closing  up  the 
embrasures  of  the  breaching  batteries  with  sand-bags  laid  in 
solidly.  From  the  great  extent  of  the  range,  as  well  from  the 
reports,  Major  Anderson  was  convinced  that  the  three  batteries 
on  Morris  Island  outside  of  the  Star  of  the  West  battery  had 
certainly  guns  of  very  heavy  calibre.  On  the  last  day  of  the  month, 
the  members  of  the  State  Convention  visited  the  batteries  on 
Morris  Island  and  Fort  Moultrie,  when  extensive  firing  took  place. 

After  close  observation  the  engineer  officer  reported  to  his 
chief  the  following,  as  the  present  armament,  "  very  nearly,"  at 
Cummings  Point  and  on  Morris  Island. 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C.,  March  31,  1861. 
"  GENERAL  Jos.  G.  TOTTEN, 

"  Chief  Engineer  United  States  Army,  Washington,  D.  C.  : 

"  General :  Yesterday  the  members  of  the  State  Convention 
visited  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island  and  Fort  Moultrie,  and  from 
both  places  extensive  firing  took  place  in  honor  of  the  event. 
This  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  observing  what  batteries  have 
been  increased  in  strength  since  my  last  report  on  this  subject. 

"  The  following  is  the  present  armament,  very  nearly,  viz.: 

"  Battery  No.  i. — Four  guns.  Embrasures  closed  by  sand- 
bags. Not  fired  yesterday. 

"  Mortar  battery  between  Nos.  i  and  2. — Three  mortars. 
Fired  yesterday.  These  have  practiced  much  lately,  to  obtain  the 
range  and  length  of  fuse  for  this  fort. 

"  Battery  No.  2,  iron-clad. — Three  heavy  guns.  Two  of  them 
fired  yesterday. 

"  Battery  No.  3. — Three  guns.  Embrasures  closed  with  sand- 
bags. Did  not  fire. 

"  Mortar  battery  between  Nos.  3  and  4. — Two  mortars.  Fired 
yesterday. 

"  Battery  No.  4. — Three  guns.     Two  fired. 

"  Battery  No.  5. — Four  heavy  guns,  one  Columbiad  or  8-inch 
seacoast  howitzer.  Two  fired  yesterday.  I  think  there  are  six 
guns  in  this  battery,  although  only  four  have  been  seen  to  fire. 


Major  Anderson,  a8th  March,  1861. 


42  PR 


8*  COL 


Q'COL 


FORT  SUMTER 

17  TIER  CASEMATE 


SKETCH   OK   THE   ARMAMENT. 
3<>3 


304  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL    WAR. 

"  Star  of  the  West  battery. — Four  heavy  guns,  one  of  them 
an  8-inch  Columbiad  or  8-inch  seacoast  howitzer.  All  fired 
yesterday. 

"  Battery  No.  7. — These  guns  are  not  all  in  the  same  battery, 
but  are  distributed  along  the  beach  apparently  in  three  batteries. 
Eleven  guns  fired  yesterday.  All  were  very  heavy  guns  except 
two,  which  I  think  were  field-pieces  in  a  sort  of  second  tier. 

"  Above  these  batteries,  on  the  sand-hills,  is  a  line  of  intrench- 
ments  surrounding  a  house,  and  also  several  Lents.  The  field- 
pieces  are  apparently  capable  of  being  used  to  defend  the  flanks 
of  this  intrenchment,  and  to  fire  on  the  channel.  Their  rear  is 
covered,  each  with  a  traverse. 

"  It  was  evident  in  this  firing  that  not  all  the  guns  in  position 
were  fired. 

"At  Fort  Moultrie  the  firing  exhibited  the  same  complete 
armament  as  last  reported. 

"The  provisions  that  I  laid  in  for  my  force  having  become 
exhausted,  and  the  supplies  of  the  command  being  too  limited  to 
spare  me  any  more,  I  am  obliged  to  discharge  nearly  all  my  men 
to-day.  I  retain  only  enough  to  man  a  boat. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant, 

"J.  G.  FOSTER, 

"  Captain  Engineers." 

Meantime,  despatches  were  sent  from  emissaries  in  Washing- 
ton which  tended  to  keep  alive  the  excitement,  if  not  to  precipi- 
tate the  issue  daily  becoming  more  imminent.  On  the  4th  of 
March,  the  day  of  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  to  the 
Presidency,  a  telegram  was  sent  to  the  Governor  of  South  Caro- 
lina, urging  him  to  prevent  any  attack  without  the  authority  of 
the  Confederate  Government;*  that  the  inaugural  meant  war,  and 
that  there  was  strong  ground  for  belief  that  reinforcements  would 
be  speedily  sent.  A  warlike  construction  of  the  inaugural  of 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  placed  upon  it  by  the  Southern  element  at  Wash- 
ington,! who  agreed  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  the  new  President 
to  collect  the  revenue,  "to  hold  Fort  Sumter  and  Fort  Pickens, 
and  to  retake  the  other  places;  "  that  the  President  was  a  "man 
of  will  and  firmness,"  and  that  his  Cabinet  would  yield  to  him, 
and  that  thus  plans  would  be  at  once  put  into  execution.  It  was 
feared,  too,  that  Virginia  would  not  pass  a  Secession  Ordinance 

*  Wigfall  to  Pickens,  March  4,  1861,  p.  261. 

t  L.  Q.  Washington  to  Walker,  Confederate  Secretary  of  War,  March  5, 
1861,  p.  263,  "  War  of  the  Rebellion." 


PREPARA  TIONS  FOR  A  TTA CK  IXADEQUA  TE.          305 

unless  a  collision  took  place,  when  public  opinion  would  enforce 
such  action.  That  there  was  a  majority  of  old  Federal  submis- 
sionists,  who  had  gotten  into  the  Convention,  and  under  the  pre- 
tense that  they  were  resistance  men. 

Mr.  Roger  A.  Pryor,  of  Virginia,  in  a  speech  delivered 
•at  the  Charleston  Hotel,  Charleston,  S.  C.,  on  the  xoth  of  April, 
1 86 1,  stated  that  ever  since  he  was  capable  of  thinking  upon 
political  affairs,  his  studies  had  been  determined  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  great  statesman  of  South  Carolina,  and  that  he  could 
not  recall  any  exhibition  at  all  adequate  to  the  action  of  South 
Carolina  in  the  true  elements  of  the  moral  and  sublime.  He  said: 
"  I  thank  you  especially  that  you  have  at  last  annihilated  this  ac- 
cursed Union,  reeking  with  corruption  and  insolent  with  excess  of 
tyranny.  Not  only  is  it  gone,  but  gone  forever.  As  sure  as  to- 
morrow's sun  will  rise  upon  us,  just  so  sure  will  old  Virginia  be  a 
member  of  the  Southern  Confederacy;  and  I  will  tell  your  Gov- 
ernor what  will  put  her  in  the  Southern  Confederacy  in  less  than 
an  hour  by  a  Shrewsbury  clock.  Strike  a  blow  !  (Tremendous 
applause.)  The  very  moment  that  blood  is  shed,  old  Virginia 
will  make  common  cause  with  her  sisters  of  the  South." 

The  same  anticipation  seemed  also  to  prevail  among  the  mili- 
tary in  Charleston  Harbor.  On  the  6th  of  March  the  commanding 
officer  of  Fort  Moultrie  was  ordered  to  send  immediately  to  the 
five-gun  battery  commanding  Maffit  Channel  two  32-pounders,  and 
to  have  them  mounted.  He  was  to  "  be  on  the  lookout  for  the  Cru- 
sader, a  four-gun  brig,  reported  to  be  on  her  way  with  120  men 
for  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Sumter."  But  the  means  at  the 
disposal  of  that  officer  were  limited,  and  would  seem  to  show  that 
at  that  period  the  preparations  for  attack  were  wholly  inadequate. 
He  reports  that  he  had  no  means  at  his  disposal  to  send  the  guns, 
nor  had  he  a  gin  to  dismount  or  mount  them;  he  had  not  a 
single  artificer  to  send,  and  that  his  command  consisted  of  some 
"  290  indifferent  artillerymen,"  "318  helpless  infantry  recruits," 
almost  without  arms,  without  clothing,  and  totally  and  entirely 
unfit  to  meet  the  enemy.*  He  thought,  however,  that  if  the 
gunboats  did  their  duty,  he  could  attend  to  the  "  case "  of  the 
Crusader  with  the  force  at  his  disposal.  At  this  date  there  were 
104  companies  "  organized  and  received  "  under  the  laws  passed, 

*  "  War  of  the  Rebellion,"  Ripley  to  Ferguson,  A.  D.  C.,  March  6,  1861. 


306  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  8,835  ran^  and  file,  one  division 
of  four  brigades  under  the  command  of  Major-General  M.  L. 
Bonham,  a  former  Member  of  Congress  from  the  State. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  by  virtue  of  his  orders,  General  Beaure- 
gard  assumed  command  of  all  the  troops,  regulars,  volunteers 
and  militia,  on  duty  in  and  near  Charleston  Harbor;  announced 
the  officers  of  his  staff,*  and  at  once  inaugurated  a  series  of 
movements  and  changes,  which  were  soon  observable,  and  which 
greatly  influenced  the  result.  He  directed  "  that  the  embrasure 
enfilading  battery  and  the  battery  beyond  Moultrie  be  constructed 
first."  Guns  were  moved  to  more  effective  positions;  the  work 
on  Cummings  Point  was  stopped,  except  at  the  iron-clad  battery 
and  "at  the  condemned  mortar  battery,"  and  work  on  the  chan- 
nel batteries  was  at  once  begun.  The  officer  of  Ordnance  had 
called  his  attention  to  the  condition  of  things  in  his  department, 
and  to  the  fact  that,  from  the  want  of  proper  props  and  appro- 
priate tackle,  the  guns  then  mounted,  from  a  want  of  "  inclina- 
tion," would  probably  dismount  themselves.  His  deficiencies 
in  essential  articles  were  reported,  and  also  the  fact  that  the  cut- 
ting of  the  limited  number  of  fuses  at  Fort  Moultrie  so  as  to 
multiply  them,  would,  he  feared,  render  the  fuses  of  "very  little 
use  at  all."  Such  was  the  incomplete  condition  of  things,  that 
on  the  8th  of  March  the  commanding  general  reported  to  his 
Government  that  through  his  "cautious  representation"  all 
seemed  to  be  aware  that  they  were  not  yet  ready  for  the  con- 
test ;f  that  it  was  first  necessary  to  keep  reinforcements  from 
Fort  Sumter  by  increasing  the  channel  defenses,  and  this  he 
hoped  to  be  able  to  accomplish  in  a  week  or  ten  days.  The 
Government  at  Montgomery  was  no  less  apprehensive  and  anxious 
upon  the  subject  of  reinforcements,  and  on  the  8th  of  March  the 
Secretary  of  War  urged  upon  General  Beauregard  the  necessity 
of  pushing  forward  his  "contemplated  works  with  all  possible 
expedition;"  that  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Sumter  "must  be 
prevented  at  all  hazards  "  and  by  every  "conceivable  agency;  " 
that  Fort  Sumter  would  open  fire  upon  him  if  reinforcements 
should  reach  it,  and  that  it  was  now  silent  only  "  because  of  the 

*  Captain  D.  F.  Jones,  Ass't.  Adj.-Gen.;  Captain  S.  D.  Lee,  Artillery, 
A.  D.  C.,  A.  A.  Q.  M.  Gen.  and  Com'y;  Captain  S.  Wragg  Ferguson,  A.  D. 
C.;  First  Lieutenant}.  I.  Legare,  Engineer,  private  secretary. 

t  "  War  of  the  Rebellion,"  p.  272,  Beauregard  to  Walker. 


REPORT  OF  MINES  TO  DESTROY  SUMTER.  367 

Weakness  of  the  garrison."  He  informs  him,  too,  that  there  were 
a  number  of  United  States  ships  ready  to  start  from  New  York, 
and  that  it  was  probable  that  an  attempt  to  succor  Sumter  by 
whale-boats  would  be  made  at  night.  Friends  at  Washington 
also  kept  the  Confederate  general  in  command  fully  informed  of 
any  possible  movement,  and  even  the  prevalent  rumors  were  sent 
to  him.  On  the  nth  Senator  Wigfall,  of  Texas,  informs  him  by 
telegraph  that  it  was  believed  that  "  Anderson  will  be  ordered 
to  evacuate  Sumter  in  five  days,"  and  that  this  "was  certainly 
informally  agreed  upon  in  Cabinet  Saturday  night." 

At  the  earliest  moment  a  reconnoissance  was  made  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Stono  River,  by  which  reinforcement  might  enter,  and  field- 
works  to  "  effectually  guard  those  channels  of  approach"  were 
determined  upon.  The  General  was  embarrassed  with  the  condi- 
tion of  things.  His  engineer  as  well  as  his  ordnance  officer  had 
been  taken  away  from  him  by  the  Governor  of  Georgia,  and  he  was 
left  to  his  own  resources.  "Their  absence,"  he  said,  "filled  him 
with  care  and  grief; "  and  he  alleged,  "that  while  he  found  a  great 
deal  of  zeal  and  energy  around  him,  there  was  but  little  profes- 
sional knowledge  or  experience,  and  that  a  great  deal  in  the  way 
of  organization  remained  to  be  accomplished.  Should  a  force 
land  at  Stono,  or  in  that  direction,  he  had  made  arrangements  to 
meet  it. 

Telegrams,  before  referred  to,  had  now  come  to  the  Governor 
of  the  State,  in  reference  to  the  evacuation  of  the  fort,  when  on 
the  i4th  of  March  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War  informed 
General  Beauregard  ' '  that  the  steamers  Star  of  the  West, 
Harriet  Lane,  Crusader,  Mohawk,  and  Empire  City  were  ordered 
to  sail  from  New  York  last  night,  said  to  carry  arms,  pro- 
visions and  men  ;  destination  not  known."  From  his  report  on 
the  i $th,  the  general  in  command  at  Charleston  believed  that  "  in 
a  very  few  days,"  he  would  be  ready  at  all  points."  Meantime, 
despatches  from  Washington  to  the  Confederate  War  Depart- 
ment had  informed  the  Secretary  of  the  mines  laid  at  Fort  Sumter, 
of  "  a  purpose  to  destroy  it  and  the  garrison  rather  than  be  taken  ;  " 
and  the  Secretary  suggests  to  General  Beauregard  on  the  i5th  of 
March,  that  Foster,  the  engineer,  might  be  a  good  guarantee  if 
left  in  the  fort,  and  he  was  directed  to  '  give  but  little  credit " 
to  the  rumors  of  an  amicable  adjustment,  and  not  to  slacken  his 
energies  for  a  moment. 


3o8 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


On  the  2ist  the  impression  that  the  garrison  would  be  shortly 
removed  had  become  so  strong  that  the  Confederate  Secretary 
again  addresses  a  communication  to  General  Beauregard,  that  the 
fort  would  shortly  be  abandoned,  if  there  was  any  reliance  to  be 
placed  upon  rumors  "  semi-official  in  their  character."  Before 
this  could  be  permitted,  General  Beauregard  must  assure  himself 
"  perfectly,"  that  there  were  "  no  mines  laid  with  trains  within  the 
fort;"  that  he  was  to  inform  Major  Anderson  of  his  intention  to  take 
immediate  possession,  and  that  he  desired  to  do  this  upon  an 
inventory  to  be  taken  by  himself  and  one  of  Major  Anderson's 
officers,  properly  Foster.  If  Anderson  declined  this,  he  was  to 
tell  him  of  the  rumors  in  regard  to  the  mines,  and  to  demand 
assurance  of  its  falsity,  and  if  denied,  he  must  prevent  his 
departure.  Meantime  a  remark  of  Major  Anderson  that  if,  when 
attacked,  he  found  that  he  could  not  hold  possession  of  the  fort 
he  would  blow  it  up  in  preference  to  permitting  his  command  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  had  been  misunderstood  and 
misstated  in  Charleston.  Upon  the  26th  of  March  two  of  the 
A.  A.  C.'s  of  General  Beauregard,  Colonel  Chisholmand  Lieuten- 
ant Ferguson,  came  down  to  the  fort  under  a  white  flag,  bearing 
a  communication  from  the  General  commanding  at  Charleston 
to  Major  Anderson.  It  began,  "  My  dear  Major,"  and  was 
intended  as  a  personal  communication  "  to  obtain  his  views  first."* 
He  stated  that  he  had  been  informed  that  Mr.  Lamon,  the 
authorized  agent  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  had,  after 
seeing  Major  Anderson,  informed  Governor  Pickens  that  the 
command  was  to  be  transferred  in  a  few  days  to  another  post,  and 
that  he  understood  that  Major  Anderson  anticipated  that  a  formal 
surrender  or  capitulation  would  be  required  of  him.  This,  he 
informs  Major  Anderson,  as  their  countries  were  not  at  war, 
would  not  be  required  of  him,  unless  as  the  natural  result  of  hos- 
tilities. 

Whenever  he  was  prepared  to  leave  the  fort,  proper  means  of 
transportation,  including  baggage,  private  and  company  property, 
would  be  provided.  All  that  would  be  required  of  him,  would  be 
his  word  of  honor  as  an  officer  and  a  gentleman,  that  the  fort, 
with  its  armament  "and  all  public  property,"  should  remain 


*  Beauregard  to  Anderson,  March  26,  1861.     "  War  of  the  Rebellion,"  p. 
22.2;  Vol.  I,  Ser.  I. 


NOR THERN PRESS  URGE  DES TRUCTION  OF  SUMTER.    309 

without  any  arrangements  for  their  destruction  ;  that  company 
and  side  arms  might  be  taken  and  the  flag  saluted. 

Major  Anderson,  in  responding  to  this  communication,  informed 
General  Beauregard  that  he  felt  "deeply  hurt"  at  the  conditions 
which  would  be  exacted  of  him,  and  that  if  he  could  leave  the  fort 
only  upon  such  a  pledge  he  would  never,  so  help  him  God!  "  leave 
this  fort  alive."  He  at  the  same  time  hoped  that  General  Beaure- 
gard did  not  mean  what  his  words  expressed,  and  in  that  case  uni- 
ted with  him  in  the  wish  that  they  might  have  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  under  more  favorable  circumstances.  A  letter  was  received 
by  Major  Anderson  on  the  same  date  from  General  Beauregard, 
disclaiming  any  intentions  of  wounding  his  feelings;  that  the 
pledge  he  referred  to  was  only  alluded  to  on  account  of  the  high 
source  from  which  the  rumors  appeared  to  come,  and  that  it 
might  be  considered  a  sufficient  reason  by  "  many  officers  of  high 
standing"  for  the  execution  of  orders  which  otherwise  they  would 
not  approve  of,  and  he  regretted  having  referred  to  the  subject. 
The  Northern  press  were  urgent  upon  the  subject. 

"  SHALL  FORT  SUMTER  BE  DESTROYED  ?  If,  therefore,  Major 
Anderson  must  abandon  it,  let  him  employ  the  few  remaining 
days  his  provisions  will  hold  out,  in  undermining  inside  the  entire 
foundations,  then  let  him  make  his  preparations  to  leave,  apply  the 
fuse,  and  at  a  safe  distance  watch  its  being  levelled  to  the  ground. 
This  would  be  a  gloomy  but  nevertheless  a  more  worthy  ending  of 
the  sad  history  than  to  leave  it  a  stronghold  in  the  possession  of  a 
foreign  foe.  If  Sumter  must  be  abandoned  to  the  enemy,  let  it  be 
a  shapeless  mass  of  ruins." — N.  Y.  Commercial  Advertiser. 

It  was  at  this  period  that  a  recruiting  station  was  established 
in  Baltimore  by  the  authority  of  the  Confederate  War  Department 
by  Senator  L.  V.  Wigfall,  who  had  made  the  necessary  financial 
arrangements  with  the  house  of  Walters  &  Co.,  68  Exchange  Place; 
and  he  informed  General  Beauregard  that  by  the  time  an  officer 
could  come  for  them,  there  would  "  probably  be  a  hundred  recruits 
to  examine,"  and  that  he  desired  to  send  them  to  General 
Beauregard. 

On  the  1 8th,  the  Confederate  War  Department  directed  Gen- 
eral Beauregard  to  order  an  officer  to  Baltimore  to  superintend 
the  shipment  of  the  men,  and  that  he  "  must  conceal  his  mission 
except  from  those  in  the  secret."  The  officer  indicated  delayed 
his  departure,  when  Senator  Wigfall  again  telegraphed,  March  21, 


^  I0  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

that  the  number  of  men  was  increasing  and  that  they  could  not  be 
kept  together  much  longer.  The  Confederate  Secretary  of  War 
promptly  responded  by  sending  an  officer  directly  from  Mont- 
gomery, who  was  to  remain  in  Baltimore  for  some  weeks  under  the 
orders  of  Senator  Wigfall.  On  the  23d  of  March  sixty-four  recruits 
arrived  in  Charleston  and  were  sent  to  Castle  Pinckney. 

On  the  2oth,  the  limits  of  the  command  of  General  Beaure- 
gard  were  increased  to  include  the  coast  line  of  the  State,  but  his 
first  duty  was  to  give  his  personal  attention  to  the  defense  of 
Charleston  Harbor.  Colonel  Samuel  Cooper,  the  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral of  the  United  States  Army,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  up  to 
March  7  had  acted  in  that  capacity,  resigned  his  commission 
and  accepted  the  position  of  Adjutant-General  of  the  Confederate 
States  and  was  now  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  that 
office  at  Montgomery.  The  works  now  steadily  approached 
completion,  and  on  the  zoth  of  March  the  State  Engineer  report- 
ed the  completion  of  the  mortar  battery  on  the  beach  at  Fort 
Johnson,  and  the  progress  on  the  other  works,  while  on  the  22d, 
in  reporting  the  visit  of  Captain  Fox,  and  thf.t  he  had  reported 
that  the  supplies  of  Major  Anderson  were  nearly  exhausted,  he 
announces  that  all  of  his  batteries  would  be  finished  and  armed 
in  two  or  three  days. 

Meanwhile,  the  President  at  Washington  looked  with  an 
anxiety  that  he  did  not  conceal  to  the  action  of  the  Virginia  Con- 
vention, still  in  session. 

He  believed  that  if  the  border  States  were  retained  in  the 
Union,  he  might  be  able  to  control  the  action  of  the  Gulf  States. 
On  the  iyth  of  March  a  resolution  was  offered  in  the  Virginia 
Convention,  submitting  an  ordinance  resuming  the  delegated 
powers  of  the  State  to  a  vote  of  the  people  in  the  following  May. 
The  proposition  was  rejected  by  a  vote  of  "ninety  to  forty-five 
against  the  resolution,"  which  drew  the  line  distinctly  between 
the  Union  men  and  the  Secessionists  in  the  Convention.  But  the 
Convention,  instead  of  adjourning,  continued  its  sessions,  and 
this  the  President  considered  as  a  "menace"  to  him.  The 
President  determined  to  confer  with  some  prominent  member  of 
the  Convention,  and  in  accordance  with  his  desire,  the  Secretary 
of  State  addressed  a  communication  to  Judge  Sommers,  who  was 
an  acquaintance  of  the  President  and  who  had  served  with  him  in 
Congress,  with  the  request  that  he  should  come  to  Washington, 


REPUTED  OFFER  OF  THE  PRESIDENT.  3  T  i 

or,  in  event  of  his  inability  to  come,  that  some  representative 
Union  man  should  be  sent  to  confer  with  him. 

Soon  after  a  messenger,*  sent  from  Washington  upon  the  same 
errand,  arrived  in  Richmond.  Colonel  J.  B.  Baldwin  was  selected 
as  the  proper  representative,  and  in  company  with  the  messenger 
returned  to  Washington  at  once,  arriving  upon  the  morning  of 
the  4th  of  April.  The  interview  with  the  President  was  held  upon 
the  same  day. 

What  actually  transpired  has  been  made  the  subject  of  per- 
sonal controversy  between  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Virginia,  to 
whom  the  character  and  result  of  the  interview  was  related  by 
the  President  immediately  afterward,  and  the  member  of  the 
Virginia  Convention  with  whom  the  interview  was  held;  the 
former  asserting  that  the  President  had  stated  to  him  that  he 
made  a  proposition  to  the  messenger  to  the  effect  that,  if  the 
Virginia  Convention  would  adjourn  "sine  die"  without  passing 
the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  he  would  withdraw  the  troops  from 
Fort  Sumter;  while  the  latter  asserting  under  oath  that  the 
early  greeting  of  the  President  was,  that  he  had  come  too  late, 
and  that  no  pledge,  no  undertaking,  no  offer,  no  promise  of  any 
sort  was  made  by  the  President  to  him  at  that  interview;  and  that 
in  regard  to  the  proposition  to  withdraw  the  troops  from  Sumter 
and  Pickens,  if  the  Virginia  Convention  would  adjourn,  that  he 
made  no  suggestion  and  said  nothing  from  which  it  could  be 
inferred.  The  President  repeated,  in  the  presence  of  Geo.  P.  Smith 
and  the  members  of  the  Committee,  that  he  most  positively  assured 
Mr.  Baldwin  that  if  the  Virginia  Convention  would  adjourn  with- 
out passing  an  Ordinance  of  Secession,  he  would  abandon  Fort 
Sumter,  and  in  the  quaint  and  forcible  language  attributed  to  and 
so  characteristic  of  him,  that  he  "  would  give  a  fort  for  a  State  " 
any  time.  The  rejection  of  such  a  proposition  at  the  time  was  con- 
sidered as  the  assumption  of  a  very  serious  responsibility  upon  the 
part  of  the  members,  and  as  in  the  interest  of  the  minority  in  the 
Convention,  who  desired  to  separate  the  State  from  the  Union. 

As  no  witnesses  were  present  at  the  time  of  the  interview 
between  the  President  and  the  member  of  the  Virginia  Convention 
the  question  became  one  of  personal  veracity.  Circumstances  of 
a  corroborative  nature  were  not  wanting  to  confirm  the  statements' 


*  Allan  B.  Magruder. 


•tl2  THE  GENE  Si  S  OF  7  HE  CIVIL  WAR. 

of  Mr.  Bolts,  in  the  testimony  of  persons  "  to  whom  the  Presi- 
dent had  made  a  similar  statement,  as  well  as  in  that  of  others 
who  heard  the  member  say  that  such  a  proposition  was  made  to 
him  in  the  interview  by  the  President."  No  report  of  such  a 
proposition  was  made  to  the  Convention,  although  the  member 
upon  his  return  reported  to  his  friends  that  he  had  urged  upon 
the  President  to  withdraw  the  forces  from  Sumter  and  Pickens  in 
the  interest  of  peace.  The  Union  men  of  the  Convention  were 
not  happy  in  their  selection  of  a  representative.  Upon  his  return 
to  Richmond  after  the  interview  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  although  he 
cast  his  vote  against  the  secession  of  the  State,  April  17,  he 
subsequently  signed  the  Ordinance  and  almost  at  once  took 
office  under  the  Confederacy,  and  was  elected  to  the  Confederate 
Congress,  where  he  became  the  Chairman  of  the  Military  Commit- 
tee. Upon  the  fall  of  Sumter  and  the  appearance  of  the  President's 
proclamation,  in  reply  to  an  inquiry  from  a  Northern  politician 
as  to  "what  will  the  Union  men  of  Virginia  do  now,"  he  replied, 
at  once,  "  There  are  now  no  Union  men  in  Virginia;"  those  who 
were  such  would  now  fight  "  in  defense  of  their  liberties." 

But  in  order  to  ascertain  definitely  the  policy  of  the  Presi- 
dent, a  committee  of  prominent  members  was  sent  by  the  conven- 
tion, atter  the  return  of  the  messengers,  to  Washington. 

They  reached  Washington  on  the  morning  of  the  day  that 
Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon.  The  President  received  them,  and 
on  the  1 4th  read  to  them  a  written  answer  to  the  Resolution  of 
the  Convention.  His  declarations  were  "  distinctly  pacific,  and 
he  expressly  disclaimed  all  purpose  of  war."  The  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Attorney-General  also  gave  similar  assurances. 
They  returned  upon  the  following  day,  carrying  with  them  upon 
the  "  same  train  "  the  proclamation  of  the  President  calling  for 
75,000  men. 

On  the  25th  a  special  distribution  of  the  ordnance  was 
ordered  by  the  commanding  general  to  the  batteries  around  the 
fort,  and  the  shells  specified  and  distributed  to  their  appropriate 
service. 

The  delay  in  the  actual  removal  of  the  garrison,  and  the 
absence  of  any  official  action  in  regard  to  it,  soon  began  to  excite 
suspicion,  and  on  the  26th  the  Governor  advised  General  Beau- 
regard  that  Anderson  should  now  say  whether  Colonel  Lamon 
was  authorized  to  arrange  matters,  and  if  he  would  not  so  state, 


MESSENGERS  TO  SUMTER  FORBIDDEN.  3  i  3 

then  he,  the  Governor,  would  "begin  to  doubt  everything."  The 
visits  of  the  messengers  from  Washington  to  Fort  Sumter  were  not 
satisfactory  to  the  Government  at  Montgomery,  who,  on  the  2pth 
of  March,  directed  the  general  commanding  to  allow  no  further 
communications  of  that  character,  unless  the  written  instructions 
borne  by  such  messengers  should  be  inspected  and  assurances 
given  that  there  were  no  verbal  instructions  existing  incompatible 
with  them. 

The  month  of  March  thus  closed.  But  little  dependence  was 
placed  upon  the  rumors  of  withdrawal  of  the  garrison,  and  both 
sides  prepared  for  a  struggle  which  seemed  to  be  unavoidable. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Confederate  Congress  authorizes  appointment  of  three  Commissioners  to 
Washington — Messrs.  Crawford,  Roman  and  Forsyth  selected — Their 
instructions— Commissioner  Crawford  arrives  in  Washington — '•  Fully 
satisfied  "  that  to  approach  Mr.  Buchanan  would  be  disadvantageous  — 
Commissioner  reports  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  State— Senator  W. 
H.  Seward  to  be  the  new  Secretary  of  State— His  peaceful  policy — Inau- 
guration of  Mr.  Lincoln — Commissioner  reports  to  his  Government — Com- 
missioner Forsyth  arrives— Report  of  the  two  Commissioners — Senator  R. 
M.  T.  Hunter — Propositions  tor  delay  made  to  Commissioner — Authorities 
at  Montgomery  consider  a  delay  a  doubtful  policy — Evacuation  of  Sumter 
to  be  insisted  upon— Secretary  of  State  declines  to  receive  the  Commis- 
sioners— Associate  Justice  Campbell  offers  to  mediate  — Associate  Justice 
Nelson  also  interests  himself— Question  of  the  evacuation  of  Sumter — 
Associate  Justice  Campbell's  memoranda — Further  instructions  from 
Montgomery — Warlike  armaments — Volunteers  called  out  at  Charleston — 
Memorandum  of  Secretary  of  State— Its  effect— The  Commissioners  leave 
Washington — Justice  Campbell  to  Secretary  of  State — Writes  to  the  Presi- 
dent— Sumter  fired  upon. 

ONE  of  the  earliest  acts  of  the  provisional  Congress  was  the 
passage  of  a  resolution  on  the  i5th  of  February,  1861,  authorizing 
the  appointment  by  the  President-elect  of  three  Commissioners  for 
the  purpose  of  negotiating  friendly  relations  between  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  and  the  "Confederate  States  of 
America,"  for  the  settlement  of  "all  questions  of  disagreement 
between  the  two  Governments."  Messrs.  Martin  J.  Crawford, 
A.  B.  Roman  and  John  Forsyth  were  the  persons  selected. 
Instructions  for  their  guidance  were  forwarded  to  them  on  the 
27th  of  February,  from  the  "Department  of  State"  at  Mont- 
gomery. The  leading  object  of  their  mission  was  to  open  negotia- 
tions as  speedily  as  possible  with  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  with  a  view  to  the  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the 
Confederacy,  and  to  conclude  treaties  of  amity  and  good-will 
"  between  the  two  nations."  They  were,  if  possible,  to  obtain  a 
personal  interview  with  the  President,  and  intimate  to  him  the 
object  of  their  mission.  If  the  President  should  decline  to 
receive  them  officially,  they  were  to  accept  an  unofficial  interview, 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO  CONFED.  COMMISSIONERS.        3  I  5 

if  agreeable  to  him,  and  were  to  inform  him  verbally  of  the 
duties  with  which  they  had  been  charged  by  the  President  of  the 
Confederate  States. 

They  were  to  assure  every  one  with  whom  they  might  be 
brought  into  official  relation,  that  it  was  the  earnest  wish  of  the 
President  of  the  Confederate  States  "  to  establish  peaceful  and 
friendly  relations  with  the  United  States,"  and  to  settle  all  ques- 
tions which  had  arisen  by  virtue  of  their  new  relations  amicably. 
That  they  were  determined  to  maintain  their  rights  and  indepen- 
dence at  all  hazards,  and  that  nothing  would  induce  them  to 
assume  a  hostile  attitude  towards  the  United  States  but  a 
refusal  to  acknowledge  the  independence  of  the  Confederate 
States,  accompanied  by  an  aggressive  assertion  and  exercise  of 
the  powers  of  supreme  Government,  which  belonged  to  the 
Federal  authority,  under  the  old  compact,  but  which  had  now 
"  ceased  to  exist." 

The  policy  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  in  recog- 
nizing de  facto  governments  was  urged,  and  the  right  of  a  people 
to  change  at  will  their  political  institutions;  and  under  it  there 
could  be  no  hesitation  in  "  recognizing  the  independence  of  the 
Confederate  States."  And  the  action  of  President  Buchanan 
was  instanced,  who,  when  Secretary  of  State  at  the  time  of  the 
overthrow  of  the  monarchy  in  France  under  Louis  Phillippe  in 
1848-49,  congratulated  the  minister  on  the  promptness  with 
which  he  had  recognized  the  new  Government,  and  remarked  in 
his  despatch  that,  "  It  is  sufficient  for  us  to  know  that  a  Govern- 
ment exists  capable  of  maintaining  itself,  and  then  its  recogni- 
tion by  the  United  States  inevitably  follows."  The  Commissioners 
were  to  urge  that  the  "  Confederate  States  form  an  independent 
nation,  both  de  facto  and  de  jure.  They  possess  a  Government 
perfect  in  all  its  branches,  and  richly  endowed  with  the  means  of 
maintaining  itself  in  every  possible  contingency." 

If,  however,  the  President  should  propose  to  refer  the  matter 
to  the  Senate  or  to  Congress,  when  it  should  meet,  no  opposition 
was  to  be  made,  provided  that  they  received  from  the  President 
sufficient  assurance  that  the  existing  status  should  be  maintained 
and  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States  should  make  no 
attempt,  under  any  pretext  "  to  exercise  any  jurisdiction,  whether 
civil  or  military,  within  the  limits  of  the  Confederacy." 

To  secure  this  was  of  the  last  importance,  and  the  Commission- 


3  !  £  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

ers  were  instructed  to  make  use  of  every  means  in  their  power  to  dis- 
cover, in  case  a  delay  was  proposed  by  the  United  States,  whether 
the  object  was  not  to  cover  sinister  designs  and  complete  a  plan 
of  military  or  naval  attack.  Information  as  to  the  action  and 
designs  of  the  authorities  in  Washington,  when  obtained,  was  to 
be  communicated  by  the  most  confidential  agencies.  Social  rela- 
tions with  the  representatives  of  foreign  Governments  were  to  be 
established,  and  such  information  obtained  as  might  be  useful  to 
the  Confederate  Government. 

Armed  with  these  instructions,  the  Commissioners  proceeded  to 
Washington,  one  of  them,  Mr.  M.  J.  Crawford,  arriving  upon  the 
*d  of  March.  He  lost  no  time  in  coming  to  his  conclusions,  and 
upon  the  same  day  reported  to  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  Con- 
federacy that  he  had  availed  himself  of  all  the  means  of  informa- 
tion at  his  command,  to  learn  the  disposition  of  the  United  States 
Government  towards  the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States. 
He  had  become  "  fully  satisfied  that  it  would  not  be  wise  to 
approach  Mr.  Buchanan  with  any  hope  of  his  doing  anything 
which  would  result  advantageously  to  our  Government."* 

That  Mr.  Buchanan  had  but  a  short  time  before  expressed 
himself  as  prepared  to  receive  Commissioners  "purporting"  to 
come  from  the  Confederate  States  Government,  and  to  submit  their 
"matters"  to  Congress,  but  that  he  had  since  changed  his  mind, 
or  really  lost  the  remembrance  of  what  he  had  said,  and  denied 
having  made  such  statement,  or  having  ever  entertained  such  pur- 
pose; that  he  had  again  recalled  the  matter,  and  renewed  his 
intention  to  submit  it  to  Congress,  but  that  he  "  must  first  consult 
his  Cabinet."  "  His  fears  for  his  personal  safety,  the  apprehen- 
sions for  the  security  to  his  property,  together  with  the  cares  of 
State  and  his  advanced  age,  render  him  wholly  disqualified  for 
his  present  position."  "  He  is  as  incapable  now  of  purpose,"  wrote 
the  Commissioner,  "as  a  child,"  and  while  he  (the  Commissioner) 
might  secure  the  promise  of  the  President  to  receive  him  as  a 
Commissioner,  his  constitutional  advisers  "  would  control  him  the 
moment  he  fell  into  their  hands."  He  would  not  attempt  to  open 
negotiation  with  the  outgoing  administration.  The  future  must 
develop  the  power  of  the  peace  or  war  element  which  would 


,  *  Correspondence  of  Commissioner  Crawford  with  Confederate  Secretary 
of  State,  March,  1861. 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSIONER  CRAWFORD. 


317 


control  the  incoming  President,  and  that  Governor  Chase  and  Mr. 
Montgomery  Blair  would  compose  the  element  which  would  be  for 
coercion. 

The  Commissioner  reported  also  the  presence  of  Mr.  John 
Bell,  of  Tennessee,  and  his  constant  communication  with  the 
President-elect,  that  he  had  been  urgent  in  his  entreaties  with  Mr. 
Lincoln  not  to  disturb  the  Confederate  States.  He  had  assured 
him  that  any  attempt  to  collect  the  revenue,  or  to  interfere  with 
its  Government,  would  be  the  signal  for  the  secession  of  every 
border  State.  "  He  advises  an  indefinite  truce,"  the  withdrawal 
of  the  Government  troops,  except  a  nominal  guard,  from  the  forts, 
and,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  war  party  of  the  North,  that  the  flag 
should  be  left  flying,  and  that  in  the  meantime  the  Confederate 
States  were  to  be  left  alone  to  do  as  they  might  choose,  "  prepare 
for  war,  strengthen  defenses,  in  short  do  whatever  may  seem  good 
to  them  ; "  that  the  pursuance  of  this  course  was  to  result  in 
favor  of  the  United  States,  on  account  of  the  dissatisfaction 
which  would  arise  from  increased  taxation  upon  the  people  of  the 
Confederacy,  which  would  lead  to  a  permanent  reconstruction; 
that  these  suggestions  were  favorably  received  and  considered  by 
a  portion  of  the  new  administration,  but  that  they  would  not  be 
acted  upon,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Commissioners,  if  the  border 
States  remained  in  the  Union  without  them;  and  that  such  coer- 
cive measures  as  might  be  safely  adopted  without  imperilling  the 
loss  of  Virginia  would  certainly  be  used. 

The  Commissioner  concluded  by  stating,  that  "  when  the  mob 
which  was  the  controlling  power  at  present  upon  the  course  and 
policy  of  the  new  President  should  have  dispersed  "  and  Congress 
adjourned,  he  hoped  for  more  favorable  results  from  his  mission. 

Meantime,  it  had  become  recognized  as  a  fact,  that  the 
Hon.  Wm.  H.  Seward,  Senator  from  New  York,  was  to  be  called 
to  the  new  Cabinet  as  Secretary  of  State.  On  the  28th  of 
December  he  had  informed  the  President-elect,  that  "  after  due 
reflection  and  with  much  self  distrust,"  he  felt  it  to  be  his  duty 
to  accept  the  appointment  of  Secretary  of  State,  if  nominated, 
and  confirmed  by  the  Senate.  He  was  then  in  his  seat  as  Senator 
from  the  State  of  New  York,  the  latest  of  the  many  honors 
lavished  upon  him  by  his  State.  His  views  and  desires  for  a 
peaceful  settlement  of  the  troubles  were  well  known;  and  his 
declared  intention  to  make  any  consistent  sacrifice  for  its  attain- 


•2  I  8  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

ment  soon  drew  to  him  many  from  both  sections  who  entertained 
similar  views,  either  from  policy  or  design.  His  matured  polit- 
ical experience  and  a  vision  at  times  almost  prophetic*  enabled 
him  to  exert  an  influence  that  was  recognized  and  felt  as  well  in 
the  South  as  in  the  North,  and  which  induced  the  adoption,  in  the 
new  Government,  of  a  peaceful  intent,  not  as  a  subterfuge,  but  as 
a  distinct  policy  of  administration,  until  forced  by  the  commence- 
ment of  active  hostilities  by  the  South  to  abandon  it. 

His  views  upon  every  variety  of  political  and  national  interest 
were  so  sought,  and  his  opinions  so  desired,  and  his  personal 
intimacy  and  influence  with  the  President-elect  so  recognized, 
that  he  seemed,  like  Hamilton  in  the  Cabinet  of  Washington,  to 
be  considered  as  the  Premier  of  the  new  administration,  and  the 
first  minister  of  the  Cabinet  of  Mr.  Lincoln;  and  however  foreign 
to  our  governmental  usage  such  an  estimate  might  be,  some 
of  the  duties  he  was  called  upon  to  perform  would  seern  naturally 
to  justify  such  opinion.  His  public  career  had  placed  him  among 
the  leaders  of  the  great  party  that  had  now  triumphed  at  the  polls, 
and  he  was  the  foremost  apostle  of  Republican  doctrine.  Men's 
minds  had  confidently  looked  to  him  as  their  chosen  standard 
bearer,  and  his  failure  to  receive  it  was  the  occasion  of  wide- 
spread disappointment. 

The  President-elect  had  early  invited  him  to  the  chief  place 
among  his  counsellors,  with  the  approbation  of  the  country.  His 
most  formidable  rival,  he  became  his  most  devoted  friend,  and 
upon  him,  through  the  dark  days  of  war,  his  strong  arm  rested 
mainly  for  support.  As  early  as  December  i,  amid  the  vast 
work  crowding  upon  him,  Mr.  Seward  had  continued  a  corre- 


*  In  March,  1850,  in  a  remarkable  speech  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
upon  the  admission  of  Cal  fornia,  he  said:  "Then  the  projectors  of  the  new 
Republic  of  the  South  will  meet  the  question — and  they  may  well  prepare  now 
to  answer  it — What  is  all  this  for?  What  intolerable  wrong,  what  unfraternal 
injustice,  has  rendered  these  calamities  unavoidable?  What  gain  will  this  un- 
natural revolution  bring  to  us  ?  The  answer  will  be  :  All  this  is  done  to  secure 
the  institution  of  African  slavery  !  When  that  answer  shall  be  given,  it  will  ap- 
pear that  the  question  of  dissolving  the  Union  is  a  complex  question  ;  that  it  em- 
braces the  fearful  issue  whether  the  Union  shall  stand,  and  slavery,  under  the 
steady,  peaceful  action  of  moral,  social  and  political  causes,  be  removed  by  grad- 
ual, voluntary  effort,  and  with  compensation  ;  or  whether  the  Union  shall  be  dis- 
solved, and  civil  war  ensue,  bringing  on  violent  but  complete  emancipation. 
We  are  now  arrived  at  that  stage  of  our  national  progress  when  that  crisis 
can  be  foreseen —when  we  must  foresee  it." 


W.  H.  SEWARD  SECRETARY  OF  STATE. 

spondence  with  his  family,  and  from  this  valued  source  we  have 
been  permitted  to  draw.  With  the  President-elect,  also,  he  was 
in  constant  correspondence  as  the  momentous  events  of  that 
period  came  thronging  upon  the  country.  "  The  ultra  Southern 
men  mean  to  break  up  the  Union,"  he  wrote,  "  not  really  for  the 
grievances  of  which  they  complain,  but  from  cherished  disloyalty 
and  ambition.  The  President  and  all  Union  men  are  alarmed 
and  despondent;  the  Republicans  who  come  here  are  ignorant  of 
the  real  designs  or  danger." 

His  laconic  criticism  upon  President  Buchanan's  message  of 
December  3  was:  "  It  shows  conclusively  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
President  to  execute  the  laws  unless  somebody  opposes  him,  and 
that  no  State  has  a  right  to  go  out  of  the  Union  unless  she  wants  to!" 

On  the  loth,  he  wrote  that  the  debates  in  the  Senate  were 
"hasty,  feeble,  inconclusive  and  unsatisfactory."  Upon  the  ist 
of  April,  in  "Some  Thoughts  for  the  President's  Consideration," 
he  urged  that  his  views  were  singular,  but  his  system  was  built  on 
this  idea,  as  a  ruling  one,  namely:  "That  we  must  change  the 
question  before  the  public  from  one  upon  slavery,  or  about  slavery, 
for  a  question  upon  Union  or  Disunion,  from  one  of  party  to  one  of 
patriotism  or  Union.  The  occupation  or  evacuation  of  Fort 
Sumter,  although  not  in  fact  a  slavery  or  a  party  question,  is  so  re- 
garded. Witness  the  temper  manifested  by  the  Republicans  in  the 
free  States,  and  even  by  Union  men  in  the  South.  I  would  there- 
fore terminate  it,  as  a  safe  means  for  changing  the  issue.  I  deem 
it  fortunate  that  the  last  administration  created  the  necessity.  For 
the  rest,  I  would  simultaneously  defend  and  reinforce  all  the  forts 
in  the  Gulf,  and  have  the  navy  recalled  from  foreign  stations  for 
a  blockade."* 

Prominent  Southern  men  had  sought  him  to  urge  the  con- 
tinuance of  this  peaceful  policy,  and  one  of  them,  Senator  Gwynn,  of 
California,  had  placed  himself  in  communication  with  the  authori- 
ties at  Montgomery,  acting  as  an  intermediary  between  them  and 
Mr.  Seward,  in  the  interest  of  a  peaceful  settlement  of  the  diffi- 
culties until  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  On  the  day  pre- 
ceding the  inauguration,  a  list  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  was 
published  in  the  press  of  Washington.  The  name  of  the  Hon. 
Salmon  P.  Chase  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  had  been 


*Mr.  Seward  to  the  President,  April  I,  1861. 


320 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


mentioned,  and  had  encountered  determined  opposition  from  that 
element  now  open  and  earnest  in  the  effort  to  bring  about  a  peace- 
ful settlement.  Mr.  Chase  was  believed  to  be  in  favor  of  "a 
vigorous  policy,"  and  it  was  feared  that  his  entrance  into  the 
Cabinet  would  greatly  retard,  if  not  wholly  prevent,  a  peaceful 
solution,  if  it  did  not  directly  promote  a  war  policy.  When  it  was 
known  that  he  had  been  chosen  to  fill  the  office,  Senator  Gwynn 
prepared  a  telegram  to  be  sent  to  Montgomery,  stating  the  fact  of 
Mr.  Chase's  appointment,  that  the  war  policy  was  in  the  ascendant, 
and  advising  that  the  South  should  look  out  for  themselves.  This 
telegram  was  sent,  in  accordance  with  the  understanding  that  pre- 
vailed, to  Mr.  Seward  by  the  hands  of  Mr.  Samuel  Ward,  of  New 
York,  who  had  been  active  in  his  patriotic  efforts  during  the  winter. 
After  reading  the  telegram,  Mr.  Seward  took  his  pen,  and  erasing 
all  over  the  signature,  wrote  to  the  effect  that  the  outlook  was 
peaceable  and  that  matters  had  never  before  looked  so  encouraging; 
and  this  altered  telegram  was  so  despatched  with  the  original  signa- 
ture by  Mr.  Ward  to  Mr.  Davis  at  Montgomery.* 

The  new  President  was  inaugurated  in  Washington  on  the  4th 
of  March.  He  had  called  to  his  counsels  men,  many  of  whom 
had  become  conspicuous  in  the  anti-slavery  movement  that  had 
so  long  agitated  the  country.  From  the  composition  of  the 
Cabinet,  the  policy  it  was  likely  to  pursue  was  the  subject  of  ear- 
nest speculation  and  anxiety.  But  the  Commissioner  had  early 
come  to  a  conclusion,  and  on  the  6th  reported  to  his  Government 
"that  the  selections  made  of  the  advisers  of  the  President  would 
prove  beneficial  to  the  Confederate  States,"  as  it  was  "the  deter- 
mined purpose  of  the  Secretaries  of  State  and  War  to  accept  and 
maintain  a  peace  policy;"  that  the  President  was  not  aware  of 
the  condition  of  the  country,  and  that  the  Secretaries  named  were 
to  open  the  difficulties  and  dangers  to  him  on  that  day  (the  6th  of 
March). 

The  Commissioner,  therefore,  felt  it  to  be  his  duty,  under 
the  instructions  of  his  Department,  as  well  as  in  accordance 
with  his  own  judgment  "to  adopt  and  support  Mr.  Seward's 
policy,  "  provided  that  the  present  status  was  to  be  rigidly  main- 
tained; that  his  own  reasons  and  those  of  Mr.  Seward  were 
as  wide  apart  as  the  poles;  Mr.  Seward  believing  that  peace 

*  Senator  Gwynn  to  author. 


REPORT  OF  CONFEDERATE  COMMISSIONER. 


321 


would  bring  about  a  reconstruction  of  the  Union,  while  the 
Commissioner  felt  confident  that  it  would  build  up  and  cement 
the  Confederacy  and  put  it "  beyond  the  reach  of  either  his  arms 
or  his  diplomacy." 

The  construction  which  Mr.  Seward  "  attempts  "  to  put  upon 
the  inaugural  address  of  the  President  was,  that  it  only  followed 
the  language  of  every  President  from  Washington  down,  as  to 
the  execution  of  the  laws,  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  prevent 
utter  ruin  to  the  party  and  the  administration  itself.  That  the 
statement  by  the  President,  that  he  would  "  hold,  occupy  and  pos- 
sess the  property  and  places  belonging  to  the  Government"  was 
to  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  qualification  wherein  the 
President  deemed  it  to  be  his  simple  duty,  and  that  he  would  per- 
form it  unless  the  American  people  should  withhold  the  requisite 
means,  or  authoritatively  direct  the  contrary.  In  submitting  these 
views,  the  Commissioner  informed  his  Government,  "  that  whilst 
it  was  wise  and  proper  to  hear  and  note  every  word  coming  from 
a  source  so  high  in  this  Government,"  the  main  fact  should  never 
be  lost  sight  of;  that  the  policy  of  the  United  States  Government 
was  first  to  demoralize  the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States  in 
the  border  States,  then  in  the  Confederate  States  themselves;  and 
that  when  it  was  assured  of  support  by  a  party  in  those  States, 
"  the  opportune  moment  for  coercion  "  would  have  come,  should 
the  Confederate  States  not  submit  to  the  national  jurisdiction. 
It  was  not  believed  that  Congress  would  furnish  the  means  required 
by  General  Scott's  estimate  of  250,000  men  to  hold,  occupy  and 
possess  the  property  of  the  United  States,  and  upon  this  the  "  first 
minister"  had  based  his  hopes  of  peace  for  some  time  to  come. 
An  arrangement  had  been  made  with  the  Secretary  of  State  by 
which  the  Commissioner  was  to  be  informed  the  afternoon  of  the 
day  upon  which  he  wrote  "  when  and  in  what  manner  "  the  sub- 
ject of  his  mission  should  be  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the 
President  and  his  Cabinet.  The  information  contained  in  a 
recent  letter  of  Major  Anderson,  reporting  the  insufficiency  of 
his  supplies  and  his  inability,  from  a  want  of  fuel,  to  hold  out 
beyond  the  ist  of  April,  had  become  known  to  the  Commissioner, 
who,  in  reporting  it  to  his  Government,  said  that  the  question  of 
allowing  or  refusing  this  assistance  to  Major  Anderson  must  soon 
be  a  question  with  the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States, 
but  that  in  the  meantime  the  Commissioner  should  feel  it  to  be 


322 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


his  duty  to  use  the  situation  of  Major  Anderson  as  a  means  of 
recognition,  and  for  a  pledge  not  to  reinforce  the  forts,  or  to  take 
any  hostile  steps  against  the  Confederate  Government,  and  that 
if  the  United  States  should  consent,  he  should  have  no  hesitation 
in  stating  that  the  Confederate  Government  would  withhold  noth- 
ing necessary  for  their  personal  comfort  from  Major  Anderson 
and  his  command  while  negotiations  were  pending. 

Meantime,  Mr.  John  Forsyth,  one  of  the  Commissioners  ap- 
pointed by  the  Confederate  Government,  had  arrived  in  Washington, 
and  on  the  8th  of  March  communicated  with  his  Government.  He 
stated  the  belief  that  there  was  a  party  in  the  Cabinet  favorable 
to  pacific  measures,  and  that  the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Seward, 
was  the  head  of  that  party,  and  that  in  order  to  cultivate  unofficial 
relations  with  them,  the  Commissioners  had  availed  themselves 
of  the  services  of  a  late  distinguished  Senator  of  the  United  States 
(R.  M.  T.  Hunter)  to  establish  an  understanding  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  who  was  urgent  for  delay.  The  tenor  of  the 
language  used  by  the  Secretary  to  the  Senator  was  thus  reported 
by  the  Commissioner:  "  I  have  built  up  the  Republican  party,  I  have 
brought  it  to  triumph,  but  its  advent  to  power  is  accompanied  by 
great  difficulties  and  perils.  I  must  save  the  party,  and  save  the 
Government  in  its  hands.  To  do  this,  war  must  be  averted, 
the  negro  question  must  be  dropped,  the  irrepressible  conflict 
ignored,  and  a  Union  party  to  embrace  the  border  slave  States 
inaugurated.  I  have  already  whipped  Mason  and  Hunter  in  their 
own  State.  I  must  crush  out  Davis,  Toombs,  and  their  colleagues 
in  sedition  in  their  respective  States.  Saving  the  border  States  to 
the  Union  by  moderation  and  justice,  the  people  of  the  cotton 
States,  unwillingly  led  into  secession,  will  rebel  against  their  lead- 
ers, and  reconstruction  will  follow."* 

In  this  path  the  Committee  deemed  that  they  could  travel 
with  the  Secretary  of  State  up  to  a  certain  point,  that  of  fixing  the 
peace  policy  of  the  Government.  At  that  point  a  divergence 
would  take  place;  and  it  was  deemed  unimportant,  whatever  might 
be  the  subsequent  hopes  or  plans  of  the  Secretary.  It  was  well,  the 
Commissioners  thought,  that  he  should  indulge  in  dreams  which 
they  knew  could  not  be  realized.  The  Secretary  had  urged  delay, 


*  Commissioners  Forsyth  and  Crawford  to  Confederate  Secretary  of  State, 
March  8,  1861. 


COMMISSIONERS  CONSENT  TO  DELAY.  323 

and  this  became  at  once  a  question  for  discussion.  While  the  real 
desire  of  both  the  Confederate  authorities,  as  well  as  the  Com- 
missioners, was  for  delay,  it  was  deemed  the  more  prudent  policy 
that  this  should  not  appear,  and  while  yielding  with  apparent  re- 
luctance in  their  preference  for  peace  and  in  the  interests  of 
humanity,  they  stipulated  for  what  was  of  the  last  importance  to 
them,  and  that  was,  that  "  the  military  status  should  be  main- 
tained, and  no  advantage  taken  of  the  delay." 

The  Secretary  of  State  had  urged,  in  his  conversation  with 
Senator  Hunter,  that  the  administration  was  in  the  most  unfavor- 
able position  for  action  on  questions  so  important,  and  if  pressed 
for  a  reply  to  the  demand  of  the  Commissioners  now,  he  could  not 
answer  for  the  result.  To  this,  Senator  Hunter,  while  acknowl- 
edging its  force,  maintained  that  unless  the  assurances  required 
were  given,  the  issue  would  be  at  once  precipitated  upon  the  admin- 
istration, and  it  would  be  forced  to  define  its  policy.  A  memoran- 
dum was  accordingly  prepared  by  the  Commissioners,  defining  the 
terms  upon  which  they  "  would  consent  to  and  stipulate  for  a 
brief  respite."  In  this,  they  agreed  to  postpone  the  consideration  of 
the  subject  of  their  mission  for  a  period  not  exceeding  twenty  days, 
provided  that  a  positive  and  unequivocal  pledge,  binding  in 
honor,  and  fully  justifying  the  Commissioners  in  accepting  it,  that 
the  present  military  status  should  be  preserved  in  every  respect, 
that  there  should  be  no  reinforcements  of  the  forts  now  in  the 
possession  of  the  United  States,  nor  any  attack  upon  those  in 
possession  of  the  Confederacy.  At  the  same  time,  the  Commis- 
sioners believed  that  the  Government  had  not  made  up  its 
mind  what  course  to  pursue,  that  they  were  "greatly  con- 
cerned "  at  their  presence,  and  dreaded  to  hear  from  them  ;  that 
the  unpleasant  communication  they  had  in  store  for  the  adminis- 
tration had  been  freely  canvassed  on  the  streets  and  in  the  press, 
and  that  their  arrest  and  imprisonment  on  the  charge  of  treason 
had  been  spoken  of.  They  wrote  that  the  consent  to  a  delay 
upon  their  part  was  induced  chiefly  by  the  consideration  that 
the  signing  of  such  an  agreement  as  the  memorandum  con- 
tained would  be  a  virtual  recognition  of  them,  as  the  represen- 
tatives of  a  power  entitled  to  be  treated  with  by  the  General 
Government;  and  again,  the  instructions  under  which  they  were 
acting  contemplated  delay  and  authorized  it,  so  far  as  the  objects 
of  their  mission  were  to  be  obtained  by  it.  While  the  author- 


324 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


ities  at  Montgomery  approved  the  course  pursued  by  the  Com- 
missioners, it  was  thought  that  to  accord  the  delay  of  twenty 
days  was  of  extremely  doubtful  policy,  and  not  unlikely  to  lead  to 
embarrassing  complications.  It  was  however  acquiesced  in,  with 
the  understanding  that  the  proviso  in  regard  to  the  military  status 
should  be  established  beyond  doubt,  and  "of  the  most  positive, 
explicit  and  binding  character;"  and  to  such  a  point  was  this  car- 
ried, that  the  Commissioners  were  informed  by  their  Government 
that  they  should  receive  assurances  that  a  fleet  of  steamers,  said 
to  be  then  coaling  and  preparing  for  sea  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy 
Yard,  should  not  only  not  make  any  hostile  movement  during  the 
period  of  the  proposed  delay,  but  that  they  were  not  to  be  sent 
to  any  point  adjacent  to  the  southern  borders,  whence  they  might 
be  employed  after  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  the  delay. 

The  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  was  to  be  insisted  upon  as  a 
sine  qua  non,  and  no  proposition  to  refer  the  subject  matter  of 
their  mission  to  the  United  States  Senate  or  to  Congress  was  to 
be  agreed  to  by  them,  unless  some  definite  arrangement  for  the 
evacuation  of  the  strong  places  then  held  by  the  United  States 
within  the  limits  of  the  Confederacy  should  be  made.  During  the 
period  of  delay  there  was  no  objection  to  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Sumter  receiving  supplies,  at  short  intervals  and  in  limited  quan- 
tities, this  to  be  regulated  by  the  proper  Confederate  authorities 
at  Charleston. 

The  memorandum  as  prepared  by  the  Commissioners  was 
presented  to  the  Secretary  of  State  by  Senator  R.  M.  T.  Hunter, 
of  Virginia,  who  had  consented  to  see  the  Secretary  for  them 
and  learn  if  he  would  consent  to  an  informal  interview. 

When  Senator  Hunter  presented  himself  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  he  found  him  at  first  "  perceptibly  embarrassed  and 
uneasy."  He  informed  Senator  Hunter  that  before  he  could 
consent  to  an  interview,  he  must  see  the  President.  He  asked, 
too,  that  the  request  be  put  in  writing,  in  order  that  he  might 
submit  it  to  the  President.  This  was  declined  by  Senator 
Hunter,  who  thought  it  inexpedient,  but  assented  that  the  Secre- 
tary should  state  to  the  President  the  fact  of  his  visit,  and  also  its 
object  and  character.  Upon  the  following  day  (March  12)  the 
Senator  returned  to  the  Commissioners  with  a  note  addressed  to 
himself,  in  which  the  Secretary  of  State  said,  "  It  will  not  be  in  my 
power  to  receive  the  gentlemen  of  whom  we  conversed  yesterday." 


THEIR  A  CTION  APPRO  VED  A  T  MONTGOMER  Y.        325 

The  receipt  of  this  paper  was  considered  by  the  Commis- 
sioners as  decisive  of  their  course,  and  they  at  once  prepared  a 
formal  note  informing  the  State  Department  of  their  presence  in 
Washington,  and  of  the  object  of  their  mission,  and  asking  an 
official  interview  at  an  early  day.  The  Secretary  of  State  had 
already  determined  not  to  recognize  the  Commissioners  in  any 
official  capacity,  nor  to  hold  personal  communication  with  them. 

On  the  1 3th,  the  note  was  formally  delivered  to  the  Assistant 
Secretary  at  the  State  Department,  by  Colonel  J.  A.  Pickett,  of 
Washington,  who  had  consented  to  act  as  the  Secretary  of  the 
Commission.  The  action  of  the  Commissioners  was  wholly 
approved  and  commended  by  their  Government  at  Montgomery, 
who  thought  that  they  had  acted  with  "  commendable  promptness 
and  becoming  dignity,"  and  had  shown  that  they  were  not 
suppliants  for  the  grace  and  favor  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, but  that  they  were  "  the  envoys  of  a  powerful  Confedera- 
tion of  sovereignties,"  "instructed  to  demand  their  rights"  and 
to  establish  relations  of  "amity  and  good  neighborhood."*  The 
Commissioners  now  awaited  a  response  to  their  note,  which  would 
determine  their  course.  The  Secretary  of  State  had  determined 
not  to  reply  in  letter  form  to  the  formal  note  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, as  such  might  reasonably  be  regarded  as  a  recognition  of 
their  official  character.  In  place  of  it  he  decided  to  prepare  a 
"  memorandum  "  for  the  files  of  his  Department,  in  order  to 
avoid  the  appearance  of  such  recognition,  which  memorandum 
should  define  the  position  of  the  Government,  and  of  which  a 
copy  was  to  be  furnished,  if  called  for. 

But  meantime  other  and  powerful  influences  were  at  work. 
It  was  now  the  i5th  of  March,  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  had  ended  its  session.  The  members  were  about 
to  separate,  when  Associate  Justice  John  A.  Campbell  announced 
his  determination  to  remain  in  Washington,  and  to  use  his  personal 
influence  to  bring  about  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties  now 
threatening  the  peace  of  the  country.  Associate  Justice  Nelson 
had  during  the  session  of  the  court  been  engaged  in  a  careful 
study  of  the  laws  bearing  upon  the  war  powers  of  the  President 
and  of  Congress.  He  had  consulted  the  Chief-Justice  of  the 
United  States  upon  the  questions  involved,  and  had  come  to  the 


*  Confederate  Secretary  of  State  to  the  Commissioners,  March  20,  1861. 


326 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


conclusion  that  no  coercion  could  be  successfully  effected  by  the 
Executive  "without  very  serious  violation  of  Constitution  and 
Statute,"  and  in  this  opinion  Associate  Justice  Campbell  had, 
after  a  similar  examination,  agreed.* 

He  was  convinced  "  that  an  inflexible  adherence  to  a  policy 
of  moderation  and  of  peace  would  inevitably  lead  to  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Union  in  all  of  its  integrity;  that  there  was  an 
imperative  obligation  upon  the  part  of  the  Government  to  dis- 
play moderation  ond  an  indulgent  "spirit  of  endurance"  to  pre- 
vent the  spread  of  secession  and  "  recompose  the  Union." 

Impressed  with  the  importance  of  his  conclusions,  Associate 
Justice  Nelson  had,  upon  the  same  day  (March  15),  in  a  visit  to 
the  Secretaries  of  State  and  Treasury,  as  well  as  to  the  Attorney- 
General,  laid  before  these  officials  the  result  of  his  research  upon 
the  subject,  and  the  conclusions  to  which  he  had  come.  He  was 
listened  to  with  respect  and  attention  by  these  officers,  and  with 
great  cordiality  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  who  expressed  himself 
gratified  at  finding  "  so  many  impediments  to  the  disturbances  of 
peace,  and  only  wished  there  had  been  more;f  that  his  policy 
was  for  peace,  and  that  he  would  spare  no  effort  to  maintain  it. 
A  subject  which  had  interested  him  especially  was,  in  regard  to 
the  execution  of  the  laws  relating  to  "  Navigation,  Commerce  and 
Revenue"  without  additional  legislation,  in  consequence  of 
secession,  Congress  having  adjourned  without  action  upon  the 
subject.  The  Secretary  was  of  opinion  that  such  execution  would 
be  impossible,  "except  by  the  use  of  military  force  and  the 
dangers  of  civil  war."  The  attention  of  Justice  Nelson  had  been 
called  to  a  resolution  introduced  by  a  Member  of  Congress  from 
New  York,  in  regard  to  the  coasting  trade ;  the  question  involved 
being  the  validity  of  clearances  made  by  State  officials  after 
secession,  while  the  coasting  trade  was  protected  and  carried  on. 
The  subject  had  attracted  the  attention  of  Justice  Campbell,  who 
in  conference  with  Justice  Nelson,  was  of  thi  opinion  that  this 
could  not  go  on  without  involving  the  country  with  the  South  as 
well  as  abroad.  It  was  then  that,  in  the  consideration  of  the 
subject,  Justice  Campbell  sought  the  opinion  of  Judge  Black, 
formerly  the  Secretary  of  State.  He  addressed  to  him  an  inquiry 

*  Reply  of  Associate  Justice  Campbell  to  Southern  Historical  Society,  New 
Orleans,  December  20,  1873. 

t  Associate  Justice  Campbell  to  Southern  Historical  Society,  New  Orleans. 


JUSTICES  NELSON  AND  CAMPBELL  INTERVENE.    327 

as  to  the  policy  of  the  Government  in  respect  to  the  cotton  trade 
of  the  South  after  secession.  To  this  Judge  Black  responded, 
that  it  could  not  be  officially  acknowledged,  that  the  United 
States  could  not  recognize  clearances  made  by  State  officials,  or 
any  payment  of  duties,  unless  made  by  the  proper  Federal  offi- 
cers; but  he  at  the  same  time  stated  confidentially,  and  as  his 
private  opinion,  that  the  general  principle  of  public  law  was 
rather  against  the  right  to  punish  a  person  fordoing  what  the  local 
authorities  who  are  in  possession  of  the  port  and  custom-house 
compel  him  to  do.  They  agreed  to  examine  separately,  everything 
connected  with  the  subject,  as  well  as  the  power  of  the  President  and 
Congress  to  take  any  action  in  regard  to  the  Confederate  States.  * 
At  this  interview,  the  Secretary  informed  Justice  Nelson  of 
the  demand  for  recognition  just  made  by  the  Confederate  Com- 
missioners, and  of  the  embarrassment  it  caused  him,  as  its  refusal 
would  produce  irritation  and  excitement  in  both  sections  adverse 
to  a  peaceful  adjustment.  It  was  then  that  the  suggestion 
was  made  by  Justice  Nelson,  that  Justice  Campbell  might  be  of 
service,  when,  accidentally  meeting  him  after  the  interview,  the 
two  retired  to  consult  as  to  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued.  After 
a  full  discussion,  the  conclusion  was  reached  that  the  country 
would  be  better  satisfied,  and  the  counsels  of  peace  be  promoted, 
by  the  reception  of  the  Commissioners,  and  obtaining  for  them  a 
full  exposition  of  their  demands,  and  that  this  could  be  done  with- 
out any  official  recognition  of  them  or  of  their  Government.  They 
determined  to  recommend  to  the  Secretary  of  State  to  reply  to 
the  letter  of  the  Commissioners,  and  announce  to  them  the  earnest 
desire  of  the  Government  for  conciliation  and  peace,  and  a 
friendly  adjustment,  and  that  every  effort  would  be  made  with 
this  view,  and  every  "  forbearance"  exercised,  before  resorting  to 
extreme  measures,  and  that  such  a  course  would  immediately 
influence  both  the  border  States  as  well  as  those  Southern  States 
that  had  not  seceded.  When  this  counsel  was  laid  before  the 
Secretary  of  State  he  was  "  much  impressed  "  if  not  "  convinced" 
by  it.  He  declined,  however,  to  act  in  accordance  with  the  sug- 
gestion made,  asserting  that  the  Cabinet  would  not  acquiesce,  and 
expressing  the  opinion  that  the  Commissioners  would  not  have  been 
sent  had  the  true  condition  of  things  been  known  at  Montgomery. 


*  Letter  of  Judge  Black  in  author's  possession. 


328 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


Mr.  Seward's  reply  is  thus  described  by  Justice  Campbell  in 
the  papers  submitted  by  him  to  the  Southern  Historical  Society, 
December  20,  1873. 

Rising  and  making  a  forcible  gesture  he  said:  "  I  wish  I  could 
do  it.  See  Montgomery  Blair,  see  Mr.  Bates,  see  Mr.  Lincoln 
himself;  I  wish  you  would:  they  are  all  Southern  men — convince 
them no,  there  is  not  a  member  of  the  Cabinet  who  would  con- 
sent to  it.  If  Jefferson  Davis  had  known  the  state  of  things  here 
he  would  not  have  sent  those  Commissioners;  the  evacuation  of 
Sumter  is  as  much  as  the  administration  can  bear." 

A  letter  from  Mr.  Thurlow  Weed  was  then  read  by  the  Secre- 
tary, to  the  effect  that  the  surrender  of  Sumter  would  be  damag- 
ing to  the  administration,  and  that  he  was  confident  that  he  could 
have  made  a  better  arrangement  with  the  Commissioners;  that 
Anderson,  with  the  consent  of  the  Commissioners,  might  have 
been  allowed  to  remain  in  the  fort  and  to  purchase  his  supplies  in 
Charleston. 

The  proposition  to  evacuate  Sumter  had  not  before  this  been 
made  known  to  Associate  Justice  Campbell,  who  agreed  with  the 
Secretary  of  State  that  it  was  a  sufficient  burden  upon  the  admin- 
istration to  deal  with  alone,  and  who  then  proposed  to  see  the 
Commissioners,  and  to  write  to  Mr.  Davis  at  Montgomery.*  Upon 
this  he  was  authorized  by  the  Secretary  to  inform  Mr.  Davis  that 
before  a  letter  could  reach  him  he  would  be  informed  by  tele- 
gram that  the  order  for  the  evacuation  of  the  fort  would  have 
been  issued,  f 

As  the  administration  were  satisfied  with  the  condition  of 
things  at  Fort  Pickens  and  the  forts  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  no 
change  in  reference  to  them  was  contemplated.  A  delay  of  three, 
and  subsequently  five,  days  was  agreed  upon,  as  more  than  ample 
to  communicate  with  Montgomery,  when  after  listening  again  to 

*  Justice  Campbell's  manuscript  ' '  Facts  of  History. ' ' 
t  When  Justice  Campbell  at  this  interview  had  informed  the  Secretary  that 
he  would  write  to  Mr.  Davis,  he  continued,  "  And  what  shall  I  say  to  him  upon 
the  subject  of  Fort  Sumter  ?"  ' « You  may  say  to  him, "  said  the  Secretary,  • '  that 
before  that  letter  reaches  him — how  far  is  it  to  Montgomery  ?"  "  Three  days, ' ' 
replied  Justice  Campbell.  "  You  may  say  to  him  that  before  that  letter  reaches 
him,  the  telegraph  will  have  informal  him  that  Sumter  will  have  been  evacu- 
ated." "  And  what  shall  I  say  as  to  the  forts  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  ?"  He 
replied,  "We  contemplate  no  action  as  to  them;  we  are  satisfied  as  to  the 
position  of  things  there." 


JUSTICE  CAMPBELL  AND  THE  COMMISSIONER.      329 

the  renewed  assurances  of  the  Secretary  in  behalf  of  peace,  Justice 
Campbell  at  once  sought  the  Southern  Commissioners,  and  later 
upon  the  same  morning  held  his  first  interview  with  Mr.  Martin 
J.  Crawford,  one  of  the  three  that  had  been  sent  to  Washington. 
He  found  him  ostensibly  impatient  of  delay,  and  disinclined  to  any 
discussion  of  the  subject.  He  was  full  of  the  brilliant  prospect 
in  store  for  his  section  in  the  future,  and  urged  that  they  were 
destined  to  form  a  great  and  prosperous  nation.  A  reasonable 
delay  in  demanding  a  response  to  the  note  of  the  Commissioner 
was  urged  by  Justice  Campbell,  who  at  the  same  time  expressed 
the  opinion  that  if  a  response  was  now  pressed,  a  civil  but  firm 
rejection  would  follow.  He  felt  confident  that  Sumter  would  be 
evacuated  in  the  next  five  days,  and  that  the  effect  of  a  "  measure 
imposing  vast  responsibility  upon  the  administration  "  should  be 
awaited,  while  at  the  same  time  he  felt  confident  that  no  measure 
changing  the  existing  status  was  contemplated  ;  and  he  frankly 
informed  the  Commissioner  that  the  opinion  at  Washington  was 
that  "the  secession  movements  were  short-lived  and  would  wither 
under  sunshine."  To  this  the  Commissioner  replied  that  he  was 
willing  to  take  all  the  risks  of  sunshine,  but  if  they  could  be 
assured  of  the  peaceful  purposes  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, he  had  no  doubt  that  the  time  would  be  allowed ;  but  that 
the  evacuation  of  Sumter  was  imperative,  and  the  military  status 
must  remain  unchanged. 

He  required  to  be  informed  of  the  authority  for  the  assertion 
in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter.  This  Justice  Campbell  declined  to  give, 
and  informed  the  Commissioner  that  no  inference  was  to  be  made 
that  he  (Justice  Campbell)  was  "acting  under  any  agency,"  and 
that  he  was  alone  responsible. 

Mr.  Crawford  at  once  said :  "  You  come  from  Seward ;  those 
are  his  views?"  "I  declined  to  give  him  any  name — and  told 
him  that  he  was  not  authorized  to  infer  that  I  was  acting  under 
any  agency;  that  I  was  responsible  to  him  for  what  I  told  him, 
and  that  no  other  person  was.  I  informed  him  that  Justice  Nelson 
was  aware  of  all  that  I  was,  and  would  agree  that  I  was  justified 
in  saying  to  him  what  I  did."* 

After  some  discussion,  the  Commissioner  was  satisfied  with 
the  assurances  given  him,  and,  influenced  largely  by  the  near 


*  "  Facts  of  History."  Justice  Campbell's  manuscript,  in  author's  possession. 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

prospect  of  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter,  he  consented  to  the 
temporary  delay,  as  his  action  would  also  be  in  the  interest  of 
peace.  He  required,  however,  that  the  information  given  to  him 
should  be  in  writing,  and  its  accuracy  endorsed  by  Justice  Camp- 
bell personally.  The  following  memorandum,  certifying  the 
opinions  given,  was  drawn  up  by  Justice  Campbell,  and  having 
received  the  approval  of  Justice  Nelson,  and  its  contents  having 
been  communicated  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  was  handed  to  the 
Commissioner,  who  at  once  advised  the  authorities  at  Mont- 
gomery. 

COPY  "A."* 

"  NOTES  OF  JUSTICE  J.  A.  CAMPBELL. 
"No.  i. 

"  I  feel  perfect  confidence  in  the  fact  that  Fort  Sumter  will  be 
evacuated  in  the  next  five  days,  and  that  this  is  felt  to  be  a  meas- 
ure imposing  vast  responsibility  upon  the  administration. 

"I  feel  perfect  confidence  that  no  measure  changing  the 
existing  status  of  things  prejudicially  to  the  Southern  Confederate 
States  is  at  present  contemplated. 

"  I  feel  entire  confidence  that  any  immediate  demand  for  an 
answer  to  the  communication  of  the  Commissioners  will  be  pro- 
ductive of  evil  and  not  of  good.  I  do  not  believe  that  it  should 
be  pressed. 

' '  I  earnestly  ask  for  a  delay  until  the  effect  of  the  evacuation 
of  Fort  Sumter  can  be  ascertained — or  at  least  for  a  few  days, 
say  ten  days. 

(Signed)  "J.  A.  C. 

"  isthof  March,  1861." 

Meantime  the  five  days  specified  had  passed,  and  Fort  Sumter 
had  not  been  evacuated.  Upon  the  expiration  of  the  fifth  day,  a 
telegram  was  sent  by  the  Commissioners  to  the  commanding 
Confederate  general  at  Charleston,  upon  the  request  of  Justice 
Campbell,  as  to  what  had  been  done  looking  to  the  evacuation  of 
Fort  Sumter.  The  immediate  reply  of  that  officer  was,  that  there 
were  no  indications  of  any  change  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  that  work 
was  then  going  on  upon  its  defenses.  This  reply  was  at  once 
placed  in  the  hands  of  Justice  Campbell,  who,  in  company  with 
Justice  Nelson,  again  sought  the  Secretary  of  State.  After  an 
assurance  upon  his  part  that  all  was  right,  an  arrangement  for 
an  interview  upon  the  following  day  was  made, when  Justice  Camp- 

*  Copy  from  the  original  paper  in  the  Treasury  Department,  Washington, 
June  10,  1873  (ffo  Pickett  purchase}. 


JUSTICE  CAMPBELL'S  "MEMORANDUM."  331 

bell  again  sought  the  Commissioners  and  left  with  them  the  fol- 
lowing paper. 

"Copy  B. 
"  NOTES  OF  JUSTICE  CAMPBELL. 

"No.  2. 

"  My  confidence  in  the  two  facts  stated  in  my  note  of  the  isth, 
to  wit:  that  Fort  Sumter  is  to  be  evacuated,  and  that  provisions 
have  been  made  for  that  purpose  and  will  be  completed  without 
any  delay  or  any  disposition  for  delay,  is  unabated. 

"  2d.  That  no  prejudicial  movement  to  the  South  is  contem- 
plated as  respects  Fort  Pickens.  I  shall  be  able  to  speak  posi- 
tively to-morrow  afternoon. 

(Signed)  "J.  A.  C. 

"2ist  of  March,  1861." 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  March  the  interview  took  place, 
when  a  full  and  satisfactory  conversation  was  had.  The  Secretary 
was  "buoyant  and  sanguine."  He  thought  that  the  prospect  of 
maintaining  peace  was  encouraging.  In  reply  to  an  inquiry  of 
Justice  Campbell  in  regard  to  the  delay  in  the  evacuation  of  Sumter, 
the  Secretary  stated  that  there  was  no  change  in  regard  to  the 
determination  in  reference  to  Fort  Sumter;  that  the  resolution  had 
been  come  to  in  the  Cabinet  "  and  its  execution  committed  to  the 
President;"  that  the  delay  was  accidental,  and  "  that  there  was 
nothing  in  the  delay  that  affected  the  integrity  of  the  promise  or 
denoted  any  intention  not  to  comply."  The  status  at  Fort 
Pickens  was  not  to  be  altered,  and  if  any  contrary  purpose  was 
determined  upon,  the  Justice  should  be  informed. 

This  assurance  of  the  Secretary  of  State  was  repeated  in 
writing  to  the  Commissioners  on  the  evening  of  that  day,  by  Justice 
Campbell,  who  assured  them,  as  the  result  of  the  interviews,  that  he 
had  "  unabated  confidence  "  in  regard  to  the  evacuation  of  Fort 
Sumter,  and  that  provisions  had  been  made  for  carrying  it  into 
effect;  that  the  delay  that  had  occurred  did  not  excite  in  him 
"  apprehension  or  distrust."  He  counseled  inaction  as  to  any 
demand  on  the  Government,  assuring  them  that  he  would  have 
knowledge  of  any  change  of  determination  or  purpose,  a  fact 
which  the  Commissioners  considered  as  of  infinite  importance. 
A  memorandum  of  this  interview  was  made  by  Justice  Campbell, 
and  after  having  been  submitted  to  the  Secretary  of  State  was 
left  with  the  Commissioners.  It  was  as  follows: 

"  No.  3. 

"  As  the  result  of  my  interviewing  of  to-day  I  have  to  say 


-i  32  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

that  I  have  still  unabated  confidence  that  Fort  Sumter  will  be 
evacuated,  and  that  no  delay  that  has  occurred  excites  in  me  any 
apprehension  or  distrust,  and  that  the  state  of  things  existing  at 
Fort  Pickens  will  not  be  altered  prejudicially  to  the  Confederate 
States.  I  counsel  inactivity  in  making  demands  on  the  Govern- 
ment for  the  present.  I  shall  have  knowledge  of  any  change  in 
the  existing  status. 

(Signed)  "  J.  A.  C. 

"  22d  March,  1861." 

The  results  of  these  interviews  were  at  once  communicated  by 
the  Commissioner  to  the  authorities  at  Montgomery,  and  often 
with  exaggerated  comment  and  conclusion.  On  the  22dof  March, 
after  the  important  interview  just  noticed,  one  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, in  his  communication  to  the  authorities  at  Montgomery, 
stated  that  the  attendance  of  Justice  Nelson  at  the  interview  was 
for  the  protection  of  Justice  Campbell  against  the  treachery  of 
Secretary  Seward  and  such  other  members  of  the  Cabinet  as  he 
sees,  and  that  Justice  Campbell  felt  sure  of  guarding  them,  as  a 
Commissioner,  against  deception  and  fraud,  and  at  the  same  time 
have  such  protection  for  his  own  honor  as  would  ensure  him 
against  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  Government.  The  Commis- 
sioner believed  that  the  party  in  favor  of  a  peaceful  issue  was 
gaining  strength,  that  they  would  be  met  and  the  points  discussed; 
and  they  believed,  too,  that  rather  than  appeal  to  the  sword  to 
restore  them  to  the  Union,  the  seceding  States  would  be  allowed 
to  depart.  The  confident  assurances  that  Sumter  would  be  evac- 
uated, as  well  as  that  the  state  of  things  at  Fort  Pickens  would 
not  be  changed  to  their  prejudice,  had  still  further  inclined  them 
to  any  reasonable  delay.  At  the  same  time,  the  Commissioners, 
were  careful  to  state  that  the  friends  of  peace  in  the  Cabinet  were 
actuated,  by  the  desire  of  increasing  any  disaffection  that  might 
exist  in  the  South  looking  ultimately  to  an  overthrow  of  the 
Confederate  Government  and  the  reconstruction  of  the  Union. 
In  regard  to  the  action  of  the  judges,  the  Commissioner  reported 
that  they  were  used  to  show  the  exact  powers  of  the  admin- 
istration under  the  Constitution  and  the  laws.* 


*  "  We  have  hitherto  informed  you  that  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  or 
these  two  at  least,  were  being  used  to  show  the  administration  the  exact  power 
which  it  has  under  the  Constitution  and  the  laws  to  use  the  army  and  the  navy 
to  invade  the  States  or  collect  the  customs  outside  the  forts."  Correspondence 
of  the  Confederate  Commissioners,  p.  87,  manuscript  copy. 


CONFEDERATE  SECRETARY  OF  STATE  REPLIES. 


333 


When  the  delay  in  regard  to  any  action  as  to  Fort  Sumter 
became  known,  and  matters  seemed  to  be  growing  more  serious, 
Justice  Nelson  retired  from  any  further  participation  in  the  nego- 
tiations, and  left  Washington  on  the  day  of  the  last  interview,  the 
22d  of  March.  He  was  satisfied  with  the  results  of  the  efforts 
made  by  him  in  favor  of  peace,  but  he  deemed  that  the  affairs 
seemed  to  be  going  further  than  he  had  contemplated.  His 
colleague,  Justice  Campbell,  was  likewise  impressed,  but  being  so 
far  involved,  he  determined,  upon  the  advice  of  Justice  Nelson,  to 
continue  until  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter,  relying  upon  the 
alleged  promises  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  then  to  withdraw 
from  further  participation  in  the  matter.* 

The  reluctance  manifested  upon  the  part  of  the  Committee  to 
yield  to  any  delay  in  prosecuting  the  objects  of  their  mission, 
was  largely  assumed,  as  their  secret  instructions  were  to  retard 
the  negotiation,  and  to  delay  until  the  Confederate  authorities 
were  prepared  to  act.f 

The  important  interviews  at  Washington,  and  the  resulting 
correspondence  of  their  Commissioners,  had  engaged  the  earnest 
attention  of  the  authorities  at  Montgomery. 

On  the  z8th  of  March,  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  State 
replied  to  the  communication  just  received  from  the  Commis- 
sioners commending  the  forbearance  shown  in  view  of  the  hope  of 
a  peaceful  adjustment.  The  "  conciliatory  consideration  "  which 
the  Commissioners  had  shown  for  the  United  States  Government, 
had  gratified  the  President  (Davis),  as  well  as  that  proper  precau- 
tion had  been  taken  against  deception  and  misunderstanding,  a 
necessity  obvious  when  the  time  specified  had  elapsed  and  no 
change  was  made  at  Fort  Sumter,  so  confidently  predicted.  That 
while  relying  upon  the  representations  of  Justice  Campbell,  the 
Government  does  not  place  the  same  confidence  in  the  good 
faith  and  sincerity  of  those  from  whom  Justice  Campbell  draws 
his  convictions.  He  alleged,  also,  that  there  was  good  reason  to 


*  To  an  inquiry  of  Justice  Campbell  if  he  could  rely  upon  the  Secretary, 
Justice  Nelson  replied,  "He  will  not  deceive  you."  (Southern  Historical 
Society,  p.  24.) 

t  In  a  conversation  with  Colonel  John  Forsyth,  one  of  the  Commissioners, 
the  writer  was  told  that  the  secret  instructions  from  Montgomery  were  "  to  play 
with  Seward,  to  delay  and  gain  time  until  the  South  was  ready."  Mobile, 
Ala.,  1870. 


334 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


believe  that  changes  have  been  made  at  Fort  Pickens  with  a  view 
to  strengthen  it,  while  assurances  had  been  given  that  there  was 
no  intention  to  change  its  status;  that  the  policy  pursued  by  the 
United  States  Government  tended  directly  to  produce  an  impres- 
sion of  distrust.  That  it  was  undoubted  that  a  pacific  policy  was 
pursued  only  where  the  Confederacy  had  the  power  to  compel 
obedience  to  their  demand,  but  not  otherwise;  and  unless  a 
"  graceless  surrender  of  untenable  power  "  should  be  mistaken 
by  the  Confederate  authorities  for  a  voluntary  evidence  of 
peaceful  and  conciliatory  sentiment,  the  means  employed  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  seemed  to  fail  of  success.  They 
were  therefore  to  urge,  with  firmness,  the  evacuation  of  all  the 
forts  now  within  the  borders  of  the  Confederacy,  as  an  indispen- 
sable condition  to  peace  or  negotiation.  The  Commissioners 
were  also  directed  to  ask  explanation  in  regard  to  the  "  unusually 
large  naval  force  in  the  ports  of  the  United  States  at  this  time," 
and  they  were  to  remark  that  it  had  attracted  the  serious  atten- 
tion of  this  (Confederate)  Government.* 

The  Commissioners  had  not  yet  had  a  personal  interview  with 
any  member  of  the  administration,when,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th 
of  March,  the  Russian  minister,  Baron  Stoeckl,  called  upon  Mr. 
Roman,  one  of  the  Commissioners,  at  his  residence  in  Washington. 
He  informed  him  that  he  had  had  a  free  conversation  with  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  things  in  the  country; 
that  the  Secretary  had  expressed  an  earnest  desire  for  a  peaceful 
settlement,  and  repudiated  the  idea  of  force;  the  peace  policy 
would  prevail  in  time,  the  Secretary  thought,  and  the  difficulties 
surrounding  him  should  be  considered. 

In  reporting  the  result  of  this  interview  to  his  Government, 
Mr.  Roman  stated  that  he  had  had  cordial  interviews  with  the 
Russian  minister,  Baron  Stoeckl,  from  whom  he  received  warm 
assurances  of  Mr.  Seward's  pacific  intentions,  and  an  invitation  to 
meet  the  Secretary  of  State  over  a  cup  of  tea  at  the  Russian 
legation.  This  informal  meeting,  however,  did  not  take  place, 
the  Secretary  having  found  that  he  could  not  accept.  The  Com- 
missioners were  still  under  the  impression  that  the  peace  policy 
would  be  successful,  and  they  believed  that  they  were  gaining  by 
inactivity  and  delay;  but  they  did  not  fail  to  express  their  anxiety 

*  Confederate  State  Department  to  Commissioners,  March  28. 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  COMMISSIONERS.  335 

that  the  demand  for  their  reception  or  rejection  should  be  made 
upon  the  very  first  day  when  their  Government  were  ready  to 
meet  the  consequences. 

The  Russian  minister  had  informed  them  of  his  apprehension 
that  the  Secretary  of  State  had  been  overruled  in  his  policy.  But 
while  this  was  not  the  opinion  of  the  Commissioners,  they  advised 
"active  preparations  for  defense  by  sea  and  land;"  that  a  strong 
force  should  be  displayed  at  Fort  Pickens,  so  that  the  adminis- 
tration might  "have  an  excuse  for  evacuating  that  fort;" 
"unavoidable  delays  have  attended  the  evacuation  of  Sumter, 
but  it  will  be  done;"  and  they  closed  their  communication  of  the 
26th  of  March  by  stating  that  "  it  was  a  proposition  not  yet 
solved,  whether  the  administration  was  more  afraid  of  the  Con- 
federate States  or  of  the  radical  Republicans."  They  again  ask 
for  instructions  from  the  "President,"  but  before  they  are  sent 
they  desire  to  inform  him  that  "  the  British  minister  here  said  to 
a  friend,"*  that  if  he  had  been  directed  to  state  to  the  United 
States  Government  "  that  England  would  not  recognize  the  Con- 
federate States,  he  would  not  have  obeyed  the  order,  but  would 
have  requested  further  instructions."  They  also  inform  their 
Government  that  the  Russian  minister  had  that  day  said  to  the 
Secretary  of  State  that  he  need  not  hesitate  to  recognize  the 
Confederacy,  for  the  European  powers  would  certainly  do  so.  In 
his  actions  in  the  matter,  the  Russian  minister  desired  that  his 
name  and  connection  with  it  should  be  "  considered  as  strictly 
confidential."! 

Three  days  afterward,  one  of  the  Commissioners  again  writes 
that  the  peace  policy  was  gaining  ground,  but  was  not  openly 
avowed  by  the  administration,  only  because  public  opinion  was 
not  yet  prepared  for  its  announcement,  as  it  would  affect  pending 
elections  in  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut;  that  the  Secretary 
of  State  would  shortly  return  to  his  idea  of  an  informal  interview 
with  the  Commissioner;  that  he  dared  not  go  so  far  as  a  final 
treaty  of  peace,  but  "for  a  truce  or  cessation  of  hostilities" 
until  the  next  Congress  should  meet.  The  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  the  administration  consisted  in  finding  means  to  communicate 


*  Mr.  W.  W.  Corcoran. 

t  Commissioners  Crawford  and  Roman  to  Confederate  Secretary  of  State, 
March  26,  1861. 


336  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

with  the  Commission  without  appearing  to  acknowledge  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  Confederacy.  He  also  reported  that  the  French 
minister,  who  had  also  spoken  confidentially  of  the  present  and 
future  of  the  Confederacy,  had  observed  that  from  what  he  had 
learned  from  other  sources,  a  truce  maintaining  the  present 
status  would  be  arranged.  Under  such  circumstances,  while  not 
knowing  what  France  would  do,  he  assumed  that  she  would 
naturally  follow  the  example  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States. 

The  course  adopted  by  the  Commissioners  was  approved  by 
their  Government.  Delay  was  now  commended,  as  being  benefi- 
cial in  enabling  the  Confederacy  to  make  all  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  the  public  defense;  and  while  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment pursued  their  "  hesitating  and  doubting"  policy,  no 
formal  demand  for  an  answer  to  their  note  was  to  be  made,  as  long 
as  they  could  maintain  their  position  with  honor,  or  unless  they 
were  specially  instructed  to  the  contrary.  Nothing  was  to  be 
done  to  compel  the  United  States  to  assume  a  definite  position; 
while  it  continued  to  follow  its  present  "  vacillating  and  uncertain 
course,"neither  declaring  war  nor  establishing  peace, "the  Confeder- 
ate States  had  the  advantage  of  both  and  could  better  prepare  them- 
selves for  the  future.  The  motives  for  the  policy  pursued  by  the 
Secretary  of  State  were  "  a  matter  of  no  importance  "  to  them. 
It  would  redound  to  their  advantage  should  a  truce  be  proposed, 
as  the  Commission  regarded  as  a  probable  event;  they  were 
instructed  not  to  agree  to  such  proposition  unless  Fort  Sumter 
and  Fort  Pickens  should  be  evacuated,  and  that  the  troops  then  at 
Forts  Taylor  and  Jefferson,  in  Florida,  should  not  be  removed 
during  the  sickly  season,  to  be  subsequently  returned,  for,  said 
the  Confederate  Secretary  of  State,  "  we  want  the  advantages  of 
the  climate  upon  them." 

Intimate  friendly  relations  with  the  representatives  of  foreign 
Governments  were  to  be  maintained,  and  the  Spanish  minister  was 
to  be  assured  of  the  desire  of  the  Confederacy  to  cultivate  "close 
and  friendly  relations  with  Spain,"  as  it  was  "  fully  sensible  of 
the  importance  of  a  great  European  power  possessing  naval  col- 
onies "  in  its  neighborhood. 

While  matters  were  thus  progressing  in  Washington,  and,  as 
each  side  presumed,  favorably  to  their  especial  view,  the  author- 
ities of  South  Carolina  had  become  impatient  at  the  delay.  The 


SECRETARY  OF  STATE  AND  JUSTICE  CAMPBELL.  337 

promise  made  to  them  by  the  agent,  Lamon,  that  he  would  shortly 
return  to  remove  the  garrison  from  Fort  Sumter,  had  not  been 
fulfilled.  Time  was  passing,  and  the  necessity  of  some  decided 
action  became  every  day  more  apparent,  if  a  conflict  was  to  be 
avoided.  On  the  3oth  of  March,  the  Governor  of  the  State  tele- 
graphed the  facts  of  Lamon' s  visit  to  the  Commissioners  at  Wash- 
ington,who  at  once  communicated  with  Justice  Campbell.  Seeking 
an  interview  with  the  Secretary  of  State,  he  left  the  telegram  with 
him,  with  the  understanding  that  a  reply  would  be  made  on  the  ist 
of  April.  On  that  day  the  Secretary  informed  Justice  Campbell 
that  "  the  President  was  concerned  at  the  contents  of  the  telegram." 
The  question  involved  a  point  of  honor,  and  that  Lamon  had  no 
commission  or  authority  from  him,  nor  "  any  power  to  pledge  him 
by  any  promise  or  assurance;"  and  so  desirous  was  the  President 
that  Governor  Pickens  should  be  satisfied  of  this,  that  Justice 
Campbell  was  requested  to  question  Lamon,  who  had  been  sent 
to  an  adjoining  room  by  the  President.  This  he  declined,  at  the 
same  time  inquiring  what  he  should  communicate  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  Fort  Sumter.  To  this  the  Secretary  made  no  verbal  reply, 
but  taking  material,  wrote  to  the  effect  "  that  the  President  may 
desire  to  supply  Fort  Sumter,  but  will  not  undertake  to  do  so 
without  first  giving  notice  to  Governor  Pickens,"  and  handed  the 
written  statement  to  Justice  Campbell.  The  effect  was  marked 
and  immediate.  The  result  of  their  previous  interviews  had  been 
to  convince  him  that  the  evacuation  of  the  fort  had  been  wholly 
determined  upon,  and  he  had  so  informed  the  Commissioners,  who, 
thus  convinced,  were  only  awaiting  the  action  of  the  Government. 
When,  therefore,  he  now  received  the  written  statement  of  the 
Secretary  that  the  question  of  the  supply  of  Fort  Sumter  was  still 
an  open  one,  it  filled  him  with  anxiety,  and  he  at  once  inquired 
whether  the  President  intended  to  make  such  an  attempt.  "  I 
think  not,"  replied  the  Secretary.  The  ease  of  access  to  the 
President  was  then  stated,  as  well  as  the  constant  suggestions  of 
plans  for  the  relief  of  the  fort.  "  I  do  not  think  he  will  attempt 
it,"  said  the  Secretary;  "there  is  no  intention  to  reinforce  it." 
At  once  Justice  Campbell  urged  that  the  evacuation  of  the  fort  had 
been  regarded  as  settled,  and  that  "the  expression  of  a  desire 
would  be  regarded  as  an  abandonment  of  the  conclusion  to  do 
so,"  and  might  bring  on  an  attack  ;  that  it  was  difficult  to  restrain 
South  Carolina  as  it  was,  and  that  he  would  not  recommend  an 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

answer  that  did  not  express  the  purpose  of  the  Government.  To 
this  the  Secretary  replied,  "I  must  see  the  President."  Shortly 
afterward  he  returned,  and  modified  the  expression  of  the  previous 
paper  as  follows  :  "  I  am  satisfied  the  Government  will  not  under- 
take to  supply  Fort  Sumter  without  giving  notice  to  Governor 
Pickens."* 

It  was  understood,  at  the  same  time,  that  "  the  import  of  the 
conversation  previously  had  "  was  unaffected  by  what  had  just 
taken  place,  and  the  result  of  the  interview,  with  the  verbal 
explanation  of  the  Secretary,  was  to  satisfy  the  Justice  entirely 
with  the  good  faith  of  the  Government,  "  in  everything  except  the 
time  as  to  when  Fort  Sumter  was  to  have  been  evacuated."  The 
subject  and  the  result  of  the  interview  were  at  once  communi- 
cated to  Montgomery  by  the  Commissioners,  who  informed  their 
Government  that  the  truth  in  regard  to  the  evacuation  of  Sumter 
"  is,  the  promise  was  made  after  the  Cabinet  and  President  had 
agreed  to  the  order  for  evacuation,"  and  there  was  no  reason  to 
expect  that  "  any  influence  whatever  "  would  postpone  it  by  the 
persons  thus  pledging  its  fulfillment;  that  the  mission  of  Colonel 
Lamon  was  solely  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  necessity  for  the 
evacuation  more  manifest,  in  order  to  justify  the  President  and 
his  administration  "  from  the  indignation  consequent  upon  the 
act;"  that  Colonel  Lamon  had  not  returned  to  Sumter,  as  he  had 
promised,  "  because  the  President  had  been  forced  to  await  the 
result  of  the  elections  in  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island." 

As  there  was  no  intention  to  revoke  the  order,  the  Commissioner 
thought  it  better  to  indulge  the  President  in  his  "  vacillating 
course"  rather  than  to  attack  the  fort.  He  also  reported  that 
the  "  Wall  Street  influence  "  had  compelled  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  to  declare  that  the  administration  would  pursue  a 
peaceful  policy;  that  the  whole  want  of  the  Confederacy  was 
comprised  in  the  word  peace,  and  that  the  "  question  of 
force"  became  the  important  one  to  be  first  settled,  and  he  asks 
that,  the  fort  evacuated  and  the  status  preserved,  would  it  not  be 
better  to  make  no  demand  which  could  be  peremptorily  refused? 

*  "  I  asked  Mr.  Seward,  What  does  this  mean  ?  does  the  President  design  to 
attempt  to  supply  Sumter?  "  He  answered/'  No;  I  think  not.  It  is  a  very  irk- 
some thin'f  to  him  to  surrender  it.  His  ears  are  open  to  every  one,  and  they 
fill  his  head  with  schemes  for  its  supply.  I  do  not  think  that  he  will  adopt  any 
of  them.  There  is  no  design  to  reinforce  it."  (Campbell's  MSS.  p.  7.) 


RAPID  DEVELOPMENT  OF  EVENTS.  339 

While  they  had  not  been  able  to  obtain  a  recognition  of  their 
official  position  or  the  preservation  of  the  military  status,  they 
had  obtained  trom  the  General  Government  "an  explicit  promise" 
that  no  hostile  movement  should  be  made;  and  they  had  secured 
this  with  the  advantage  that  the  Confederate  States  "  were  not 
bound  in  any  way  whatever  to  observe  the  same  course  "  toward 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  and  that  they  might  go  on 
and  organize  their  army  and  concentrate  their  forces  at  their 
discretion.* 

The  policy  to  be  pursued  was  thus  defined  by  the  Commission 
and  approved  of  by  the  authorities  at  Montgomery.  But  events 
began  to  follow  each  other  with  a  rapidity  that  finally  disclosed 
the  purpose  of  the  Government.  Upon  the  same  date,  and  in 
anticipation  of  their  letter,  a  telegram  was  sent  by  the  Com- 
missioners to  Montgomery,  to  the  effect  that  the  President  had 
not  the  courage  to  execute  the  order  which  the  Commission  knew 
to  have  been  agreed  upon  in  the  Cabinet  for  the  evacuation  of  the 
fort;  that  he  intended  "  to  shift  the  responsibility  upon  Major 
Anderson  by  suffering  him  to  be  starved  out;"  and  they  recom- 
mend the  cutting  off  of  all  supplies,  as  an  assault  upon  the  fort 
would  cause  an  unnecessary  shedding  of  blood  and  concentrate 
public  opinion  in  favor  of  the  Government.  On  the  2d  of  April 
they  again  telegraphed  that  the  "war  wing"  pressed  upon  the 
President,  and  that  he  leaned  to  that  side  and  had  consulted  with 
certain  naval  engineers;  and  again  on  the  3d,  that  much  activity 
prevailed  in  the  War  and  Navy  departments,  and  the  movements 
of  war  vessels  was  reported,  but  that  it  was  believed  that  a 
demonstration  against  Spain  was  intended.  In  the  uncertainty 
that  prevailed,  Justice  Campbell  had  stated  that  the  Government 
dared  not  deceive  him,  as  they  knew  that  the  Commission  did  not 
rely  upon  them,  but  upon  him.  Events  were  now  rapidly  develop- 
ing. On  the  6th  the  Commissioners  telegraphed  that  the  rumors 
of  the  warlike  armaments,  already  referred  to  as  destined  for 
Forts  Pickens  and  Sumter,  were  daily  growing  stronger. 

The  evidences  of  some  movement  upon  the  part  of  the 
Government  were  now  so  manifest  as  to  induce  the  general 
belief  that  a  vigorous  policy  had  been  determined  upon,  which 
pointed  with  all  but  official  accuracy  to  Forts  Sumter  and 


*  Commissioner  Crawford  to  Confederate  Secretary  of  State,  April  i,  1861. 


240  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Pickens.  The  concourse  of  nine  Governors  of  Northern  States 
in  Washington,  and  their  pledges  of  support  to  the  Government, 
gave  strength  to  the  report  which  the  unexplained  movement  of 
vessels  of  "  war  and  transport  seemed  to  confirm."  "  The  tone 
of  one  party  became  more  menacing,  and  of  the  other  more 
anxious  and  despondent." 

"  The  movement  of  troops,  and  preparation  on  board  of  vessels 
of  war,  of  which  you  have  already  been  apprised,  are  continued 
with  the  greatest  activity.  An  important  move  requiring  a  for- 
midable military  and  naval  force  is  certainly  on  foot,"  wrote  the 
Commissioner  to  his  Government  on  the  5th  of  April,  and  he 
deemed  it  to  be  his  duty  to  call  at  once  upon  the  Justice  for  the 
fulfillment  of  the  pledge  made  in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter  "  or  for 
explanation."  At  once,  upon  the  morning  of  the  ;th,  Justice 
Campbell  in  a  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  State  called  his 
attention  to  the  alarm  that  had  been  created  by  the  preparation  of 
the  Government  by  the  unusual  movements  of  troops,  and  of  the 
reports  of  conversations  of  the  President  that  had  "  some  appear- 
ance of  authority."  He  recites  the  assurances  he  had  given  to 
the  Commissioner,  and  he  asks  to  be  informed  if  they  "  were  well 
or  ill  founded;"  and  he  expresses  his  apprehension  of  a  collision, 
and  volunteers  to  go  himself  to  Montgomery  to  aid  in  any 
arrangement  of  the  difficulties.  On  the  8th,  in  response  to  his 
communication,  an  envelope  to  his  address  was  received  by  Justice 
Campbell,  containing  a  paper  without  date  or  signature,  and  upon 
which  was  written,  "  Faith  as  to  Sumter  fully  kept;  wait  and  see; 
other  suggestions  received,  and  will  be  respectfully  considered."* 
The  response  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  Commissioner.  There 
was  "  no  change  in  the  activity  of  the  warlike  armaments,  nor  in 
the  rumors  assigning  their  operation  to  the  South. "f 

The  Commissioners  concluded  that  the  reinforcement  of  Fort 
Pickens  was  the  object  of  the  expedition,  as  it  was  net  referred  to 
in  the  reply  of  the  Secretary,  and  that  an  attempt  to  supply,  but 
not  to  reinforce,  Sumter  would  be  made.  Under  this  conviction, 
they  determined  to  call  for  an  answer  to  their  official  note  of  the 
1 2th  of  March,  demanding  an  audience,  at  the  same  time  notify  - 

*  Original  paper,  Justice  Campbell's  MSS. 

t"  Such  Government  by  blindman's  buff,  stumbling  along  too  far, will  end 
by  the  general  overturn.  Fort  Sumter,  I  fear,  is  a  case  past  arrangement." 
(From  draft  of  original  letter,  April  7,  1861.  Justice  Campbell's  MSS.) 


COM.  RECEfVE  MEM.  OF  SECRETARY  OF  STATE.      341 

ing  the  Government  that  their  Secretary  would  call  for  a  reply 
upon  the  following  day.  This  action  was  at  once  reported  to 
their  Government  by  telegram  on  the  7th  of  April,  with  the  state 
ment  that  a  hostile  movement  was  on  foot  and  that  part  of  it 
had  sailed  against  the  Confederate  States.  It  might  be  Sumter, 
but  it  was  "  almost  certain  that  it  was  Pickens  and  the  Texas 
frontier."  Should  the  reply  of  the  Secretary  of  State  be  unsatis- 
factory, they  should  consider  the  gauntlet  of  war  thrown  down, 
and  would  close  their  mission. 

The  State  authorities  at  Charleston  were  meantime  wholly 
aroused  to  the  situation,  hourly  becoming  more  complicated.  On 
the  yth  of  April  Governor  Pickens  had  telegraphed  to  the  Com- 
missioners at  Washington,  inquiring  if  it  had  been  determined  to 
reinforce  Fort  Sumter;  so  many  extraordinary  telegrams  had  been 
received,  that  he  would  like  to  be  informed  of  the  truth  of  the 
statement. 

The  Commissioners  replied  to  the  telegram  of  the  Governor 
on  the  8th  of  April,  that  the  military  and  naval  movements  were 
conducted  with  extraordinary  secrecy,  but  that  they  were  assured 
that  he  would  not  be  disturbed  without  notice,  and  that  they 
thought  that  Fort  Sumter  would  be  evacuated  and  Fort  Pickens 
provisioned.  On  the  same  day  the  Confederate  general  in  com- 
mand at  Charleston,  deeming  the  accounts  so  uncertain,  called 
out  several  thousand  volunteers;  while  a  telegram  from  one  of  the 
Commissioners,  Mr.  Crawford,  was  received  by  the  same  officer  to 
the  effect  that  the  reports  were  uncertain,  on  account  of  the 
constant  vacillation  of  the  Government;  that  they  had  been 
assured  upon  the  previous  day  that  the  status  at  Sumter  would 
not  be  changed  without  previous  notice  to  Governor  Pickens,  but 
that  they  had  no  faith  in  the  assurance  given. 

A  copy  of  the  memorandum  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  on  file 
in  the  State  Department,  was  handed  by  the  Assistant  Secretary 
to  the  messenger  of  the  Commissioners,  who  called  for  it  on  the  8th 
of  April.  It  was  dated  March  15,  and  had  long  been  awaiting 
the  call  of  the  Commissioners.  The  circumstances  attending 
the  presentation  of  the  communication  of  the  Commissioners  were 
stated,  and  the  reasons  and  grounds  upon  which  their  request  for 
an  interview  with  the  President  was  based,  were  recapitulated, 
and  the  Secretary  frankly  confessed  that  he  entertained  a  very 
different  view  of  the  recent  events  and  the  actually  existing 


342  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

political  condition  from  that  of  the  Commissioners.  He  saw  in 
them,  not  a  rightful  and  accomplished  revolution  and  an 
independent  nation  with  an  established  Government,  but,  rather, 
a  perversion  of  a  temporary  and  partisan  excitement  to  the  pur- 
pose of  an  unjustifiable  and  unconstitutional  aggression  upon  the 
rights  and  authority  of  the  Government;  and  he  looked  not  to 
irregular  negotiations  nor  to  agencies  unknown  to  the  Constitution, 
but  to  the  regular  and  considerate  action  of  tne  people  of  those 
States  through  Congress  and  through  extraordinary  conventions 
for  the  cure  of  the  evils  which  had  resulted  from  such  unnecessary, 
unwise  and  unnatural  proceedings.  He  denied  that  the  Con- 
federate States  constituted  a  foreign  power,  to  be  dealt  with  diplo- 
matically. His  official  duties  were  to  conduct  the  foreign  relations 
of  the  country,  and  did  not  embrace  domestic  questions;  and  as 
Secretary  of  State  he  had  no  authority  to  recognize  them  or  hold 
any  correspondence  with  them  as  diplomatic  agents,  and  in  this, 
he  was  supported  by  the  President  himself,  whom  he  had  con- 
sulted out  of  the  respect  for  the  people  of  the  Union  in  whose 
name  the  Commissioners  had  presented  themselves.  The  memo- 
randum was  received  with  deep  feeling. 

In  view  of  the  communication  received  by  them  through 
Justice  Campbell,  the  Commissioners  concluded  that  they  had  been 
"  abused  and  overreached,"  and  in  this  they  were  sustained  by 
their  Government  at  Montgomery;  and  they  prepared  an  imme- 
diate rejoinder,  violent  in  its  expressions  and  denunciatory  in  its 
tone,  and  reflecting  upon  the  intercourse  held  by  Justice  Campbell 
with  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  which  they  proposed  to  publish 
or  to  send  to  Montgomery.  An  earnest  protest  to  this  was  at 
once  made  by  Justice  Campbell,  who  again  urged  that  he  had 
"assumed  all  of  the  responsibility  of  the  intercourse,  and  had 
not  appeared  as  the  agent  of  the  Secretary  or  to  speak  at  his 
request,"  and  that  he  had  expressly  informed  the  Commissioner 
with  whom  he  dealt,  that  there  was  no  inference  to  be  drawn  that 
the  Justice  derived  information  from  the  Secretary  of  State  or  from 
any  special  source.  To  this  the  Commissioners  acquiesced,  and 
expunged  the  objectionable  features  of  their  reply,  and  on  the  pth 
of  April  transmitted  to  the  Secretary  their  final  communication. 
In  it  they  alleged  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States  had 
not  chosen  to  meet  the  Commissioners  in  the  "  conciliatory  and 
peaceful  spirit "  in  which  they  were  commissioned,  that  in  charac- 


MEMORANDUM  OF  SECRETARY  OF  STATE. 


343 


terizing  the  "deliberate  sovereign  act"  of  the  people  of  the 
Confederate  States  as  a  "perversion  of  a  temporary  and  partisan 
excitement"  was  to  deal  "with  delusions;"  that  the  refusal  to 
entertain  overtures  for  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties,  the 
formal  notice  to  the  authorities  in  Charleston  Harbor  of  the  inten 
tion  to  provision  Fort  Sumter,  by  force  if  necessary,  could  only  be 
received  as  a  declaration  of  war,  which  the  Commissioners,  in 
behalf  of  their  Government  and  people,  accepted,  and  would 
appeal  to  God  and  to  the  judgment  of  mankind.  Upon  the  re- 
ceipt of  this  communication,  the  Secretary  of  State  directed  that 
the  following  "  memorandum  "  should  be  filed  in  his  department, 
and,  if  requested,  a  copy  should  be  delivered  to  the  Commis- 
sioners: 

"  MEMORANDUM. 

"  Messrs.  Forsyth.  Crawford  and  Roman,  having  been  apprised 
by  a  memorandum,  which  has  been  delivered  to  them,  that  the 
Secretary  of  State  is  not  at  liberty  to  hold  official  intercourse 
with  them,  will,  it  is  presumed,  expect  no  notice  from  him  of  the 
new  communication  which  they  have  addressed  to  him,  under  the 
date  of  the  gth  inst.,  beyond  the  simple  acknowledgment  of  the 
receipt  thereof,  which  he  hereby  very  cheerfully  gives. 

"DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE, 
"WASHINGTON,  April  io,  i86i." 

Upon  the  same  day  a  telegram  was  sent  to  the  authorities  at 
Montgomery  by  the  Commissioners,  to  the  effect  that  "  this  Gov- 
ernment politely  declines,  in  a  written  paper,  to  recognize  our 
official  character  or  the  power  we  lepresent." 

Such  parts  of  the  despatches  of  the  Commissioners  as  narrate 
their  own  proceedings  are  doubtless  exact  and  entirely  reliable. 
If  those  portions  which  refer  to  the  opinions,  acts  and  conversa- 
tion of  others  are  less  so,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  these  were 
necessarily  based  only  upon  such  information  as  could  be 
obtained  in  a  period  of  high  excitement. 

Detained  by  freshets,  they  again  telegraphed,  on  the  loth, 
both  to  Montgomery  and  to  Charleston,  that  the  public  press  had 
announced  that  the  main  object  of  the  expedition  was  the  relief 
of  Sumter.  On  the  nth  the  Commissioners  left  Washington, 
having  confided  to  their  Secretary  the  transaction  of  such  matters 
in  their  interest  as  might  arise  after  their  departure;  and  he  was 
to  furnish  to  such  representatives  of  foreign  Governments  as  were 


344 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


known  to  be  friendly  to  their  cause,  copies  of  their  correspondence 
with  the  General  Government. 

But  before  their  departure,  a  telegram  had  come  from  the 
commanding  general  at  Charleston  on  the  8th  inst.,  announcing 
the  arrival  of  the  special  messenger  with  the  notice  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  that  Fort  Sumter  was  "  to  be  provi- 
sioned either  peaceably  or  otherwise  forcibly." 

Dissatisfied  with  the  result,  Justice  Campbell,  on  the  ijth  inst., 
addressed  a  communication  to  the  Secretary  of  State.  Fort 
Sumter  had  been  fired  upon,  and  the  intelligence  had  reached 
Washington,  and  it  was  with  a  view  to  some  explanation  of  this 
occurrence  that  the  communication  was  made.  All  of  the  steps 
taken,  as  well  as  the  promises  made,  were  recited,  and  the 
opinion  given  "that  the  equivocating  conduct  of  the  administra- 
tion, as  measured  and  interpreted  in  connection  with  these  prom- 
ises, is  the  proximate  cause  of  the  great  calamity;"  and  he  con- 
cludes by  stating  that  it  was  his  "  profound  conviction  "  that  the 
action  of  the  authorities  at  Montgomery  could  be  referred  to 
nothing  else  than  their  belief  that  a  systematic  duplicity  had 
been  practiced  upon  them  through  him. 

To  this  communication,  no  response  was  made  by  the  Secre- 
tary. On  the  2oth,  one  week  later,  Justice  Campbell  enclosed  a 
copy  of  his  previous  communication,  disclaiming  any  conclusions 
unfavorable  to  the  Secretary,  nor  any  opinion  not  susceptible  of 
modification  by  explanation.  An  explanation  was,  however,  in- 
sisted upon,  as  the  Justice  thought  that  the  assurances  of  the 
Secretary  had  been  continued  after  the  decision  in  regard  to  Sumter 
had  been  abandoned.  In  case  of  refusal  he  would  not  hold  him- 
self debarred  from  placing  "  these  letters  "  before  such  persons  as 
were  entitled  to  an  explanation  from  him.  His  full  title  as 
Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  was 
signed  to  this  communication.*  Thus  ended  the  "  voluntary  inter- 
position "  of  an  official  high  in  position,  and  whose  sole  object  was 
to  prevent  a  collision  which  would  inaugurate  war  between  the 
States.  Like  many  of  his  countrymen,  he  believed  that,  in  the  pres- 
ervation of  peace,  a  settlement  would  be  ultimately  reached  that 
would  satisfy  the  best  and  most  patriotic  minds,  and  to  this  end 
he  devoted  his  best  energies.  He  opposed  the  secession  of  his 


*  Justice  Campbell  to  Secretary  Seward,  April  20,  1861 ;  original  paper. 


JUSTICE  CAMPBELLS  FINAL  ACTION.  345 

State,  and  condemned  all  that  resembled  a  conspiracy  against  the 
Union  of  the  States.  So  anxious  was  he  to  interpose  between  the 
conflicting  elements,  that  he  had  in  January,  and  before  the 
inauguration  of  the  President-elect,  initiated  a  correspondence 
with  him  through  the  medium  of  Mr.  Montgomery  Blair.  In  this 
he  urged  that  the  President-elect  should  define  the  principles 
which  were  to  govern  his  administration  and  quiet  the  apprehen- 
sion that  was  prevailing.  A  reply  directed  to  John  A.  Gilmer 
was  received  from  the  President,  declining  to  anticipate  his 
inaugural. 

But  the  firing  upon  Fort  Sumter  speedily  and  with  great  dis- 
tinctness defined  the  positions  of  all  who  yet  doubted  as  to  their 
especial  course.  Justice  Campbell,  upon  his  return  to  the  South, 
found  that  he  had  been  misrepresented  by  one  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, in  his  relations  to  the  negotiation.  He  was  styled  an 
"  emissary  of  Lincoln,"  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  discredit 
him  with  his  people.  As  time  rolled  on  and  the  war  progressed, 
he  gave  in  his  adhesion,  and  finally  was  promoted  to  high  office 
under  the  Confederacy. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

Anderson's  estimate  of  force  necessary  to  relieve  him—  Referred  to  General 
Scott— His  opinion— Plan  of  relief  of  Captain  Fox— President  calls  for 
written  opinions  of  his  Cabinet  in  regard  to  Sumter— Views  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State— Opinions  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Postmaster-General, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury— Opinion  of  Brigadier-General  Totten,  Chiet 
Engineer— General  Scott  changes  his  views — Abandonment  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter a  "  sure  necessity" — His  Memorandum  for  the  Secretary  of  War — 
Francis  P.  Blair — His  interview  with  the  President— Letter  of  the  Post- 
master-General— Speculations  upon  the  opinions  of  the  Cabinet — Secretary 
Chase  corrects  statement  of  his  position — His  letters— Final  position  of  the 
Secretary  of  War. 

WHILE  active  preparations  both  within  and  without  the  work 
were  in  progress,  a  report,  to  the  effect  that  the  garrison  was  to  be 
withdrawn  and  the  fort  evacuated,  had  been  circulated,  and  in 
large  measure  credited.  The  question  of  its  relief  had  been 
forced  upon  the  attention  of  the  President  and  his  Cabinet,  from 
the  moment  of  the  organization  of  the  new  administration.  The 
estimate  of  Major  Anderson  in  regard  to  the  force  necessary  to 
relieve  him,  together  with  that  of  his  officers,  had  been  referred 
by  the  orders  of  the  President,  to  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  who 
at  once  "  concurred "  with  Major  Anderson  in  opinion.  He 
desired  time,  however,  to  reflect  upon  it,  and  at  the  end  of  four 
days,  after  consultation  "  with  other  officers  both  of  the  Army  and 
Navy,"  came,  "reluctantly  but  decidedly,  to  the  same  conclusion 
as  before."  This  opinion  of  General  Scott,  sustained  as  it  was 
by  that  of  Brigadier-General  Totten,  the  Chief  Engineer,  produced 
an  effect  upon  the  new  Cabinet  wholly  unfavorable  to  any  attempt 
to  relieve  Fort  Sumter. 

The  question  was  the  absorbing  one  to  the  administration,  and 
the  President,  before  coming  to  a  decision,  determined  to  again 
refer  to  General  Scott.  On  the  i2th  of  March,  he  addressed  to 
him  an  inquiry  as  to  "  what  amount  of  means,  and  what  descrip- 
tion, in  addition  to  those  already  at  command,  it  would  require 
to  supply  and  reinforce  the  fort."  In  his  reply  the  Lieutenant- 
General  stated  that  "  as  a  practical  military  question,  the  time  for 

346 


PLAN  OF  CAPTAIN  FOX  TO  RELIEVE  SUMTER.       347 

succoring  Fort  Sumter  had  passed  away  nearly  a  month  ago." 
Its  surrender  from  assault  or  starvation  was  merely  a  question 
of  time,  and  that  he  should  require  5,000  regular  troops  and 
20,000  volunteers  to  take  the  batteries.  The  co-operation  of  the 
Navy  would  be  necessary,  and  this,  in  its  scattered  condition, 
could  not  be  collected  in  less  than  four  months,  nor  the  army  he 
required  in  less  than  six  or  eight. 

While  the  plan  of  Commander  Ward  had  now  been  abandoned 
even  by  himself,  that  of  Captain  Fox  was  first  discussed  at  this 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The  Postmaster-General  was  his  rela- 
tive. He  had  warmly  sympathized  with  Captain  Fox  in  his  views, 
and  had  urged  their  adoption  upon  the  administration.  He 
believed  that  the  announcement  by  the  President,  that  he  would 
"  hold,  occupy  and  possess"  the  strong  places  and  properties  of 
the  Government,  committed  him  and  his  administration  to  the 
retention  of  Fort  Sumter  under  all  circumstances,  and  to  this  posi- 
tion he  adhered  with  consistency  and  energy  until  the  last.  Both 
before  and  after  his  appointment  to  a  Cabinet  position,  he  had 
been  earnest  in  the  expression  of  his  views  that  relief  should  be 
sent,  and  in  response  to  a  telegram  from  him  of  the  1 2th  of  March, 
Captain  Fox  again  arrived  in  Washington,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  1 3th  accompanied  him  to  the  President.  The  plan  in  detail 
was  explained.  In  reply  to  the  objection  now  urged  by  General 
Scott,  that  the  batteries  established  would  render  the  plan  impos- 
sible, it  was  urged  by  Captain  Fox  that  a  steam  naval  force 
could  pass  any  number  of  guns  there,  and  for  the  reason  that  the 
course  was  at  right  angles  to  the  line  of  fire,  and  the  distance, 
1,300  yards,  too  great  for  accurate  firing  at  night. 

It  was  at  this  time  (i3th)  that  the  idea  of  visiting  Fort  Sumter 
in  person  suggested  itself  to  Captain  Fox.  In  this  the  President 
acquiesced,  provided  that  the  consent  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
and  of  General  Scott  could  be  obtained. 

Cabinet  meetings  were  now  frequent,  and  at  each  of  them  the 
subject  of  the  relief  of  Fort  Sumter  was  the  principal  topic  of 
discussion.  In  this  consideration  of  the  subject,  the  President 
determined  to  obtain  the  written  opinions  of  his  Cabinet,  and 
accordingly,  on  the  i5th  of  March,  he  addressed  to  each  the  fol- 
lowing inquiry. 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  March  15,  1861. 

"  My  dear  Sir:  Assuming  it  to  be  possible  to  now  provision 


•548  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Fort  Sumter,  under  the  circumstances  is  it  wise  to  attempt  it? 
Please  give  me  your  opinion  in  writing  on  this  question. 
< '  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  A.  LINCOLN." 

The  responses  of  his  Cabinet  were  soon  laid  before  the  Presi- 
dent. The  views  of  the  Secretary  of  State  were  well  known.  He 
was  in  favor  of  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulties.  He  had 
not  disguised  his  conviction  that  the  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter 
should  be  withdrawn,  relying  as  he  did  upon  the  sober  second 
thought  of  the  South  in  view  of  the  peaceful  intentions  of  the 
North.  His  reply,  therefore,  to  the  inquiry  of  the  President  was 
in  accordance  with  the  views  long  held  by  him,  and  urged  before 
his  entry  into  the  Cabinet  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  These  convictions 
found  clear  and  unmistakable  assertion  in  his  official  despatch  of 
April  10,  to  our  minister  at  London.*  He  believed  that  our 
Federal  system  "  had  within  itself  adequate  and  recuperative 
forces,"  whereby  the  exercise  of  firmness  in  maintaining  and  pre- 
serving the  public  property,  and  in  executing  the  laws  where  it 
could  be  done  without  "  waging  war,"  would  be  sufficient  to 
secure  the  public  safety  until  returning  reflection  should  bring 
the  "recusant  members  "  back  again  to  their  "natural  home." 
The  Constitution  provided  for  that  return  by  a  national  conven- 
tion, by  which  all  real  obstacles  could  be  removed.  If,  however, 
civil  war  should  break  out  during  the  present  administration,  it 
must  come  through  the  agency  of  those  who  had  chosen  to  be  its 
enemies,  and  that  the  President,  for  whom  he  spoke,  did  not 
doubt,  in  that  case,  that  the  American  people  would  rise  up  with 
a  unanimity  which  should  vindicate  their  wisdom  and  their 
virtue,  and  save  the  imperilled  Union. 

When,  therefore,  the  inquiry  of  the  President  was  submitted 
to  him,  as  to  his  associates  in  the  Cabinet,  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
express  those  convictions  which  influenced  him  in  his  official 
course,  until  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon  by  the  Confederate 
authorities. 

In  his  reply  he  said: 

"  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE, 

"  WASHINGTON,  March  15,  1861. 

"  The  President  submits  to  me  the  following  question : 
'  Assuming  it  to  be  possible  to  now  provision  Fort  Sumter,  under 
all  the  circumstances  is  it  wise  to  attempt  it  ? ' 

*  Seward  to  Adams,  April  10,  1861.     Diplomatic  correspondence,  1861. 


OPINION  OF  SECRETARY  OF  STATE. 


349 


"  If  it  were  possible  to  peacefully  provision  Fort  Sumter,  of 
course  I  should  answer  that  it  would  be  both  unwise  and  inhuman 
not  to  attempt  it.  But  the  facts  of  the  case  are  known  to  be  that 
the  attempt  must  be  made  with  the  employment  of  a  military  and 
marine  force,  which  would  provoke  combat  and  probably  initiate 
a  civil  war,  which  the  Government  of  the  United  States  would  be 
committed  to  maintain  through  all  changes  to  some  definitive 
conclusion. 

"  History  must  record  that  a  sectional  party,  practically  con- 
stituting a  majority  of  the  people  of  the  fifteen  slaves  States, 
excited  to  a  high  state  of  jealous  apprehension  for  the  safety  of 
life  and  property  by  impassioned  though  groundless  appeals,  went 
into  the  late  election  with  a  predetermined  purpose,  if  unsuc- 
cessful at  the  polls,  to  raise  the  standard  of  secession  immedi- 
ately afterwards,  and  to  separate  the  slave  States,  or  so  many  of 
them  as  could  be  detached  from  the  Union,  and  to  organize  them 
in  a  new,  distinct  and  independent  Confederacy.  That  party  was 
unsuccessful  at  the  polls. 

"  In  the  frenzy  which  followed  the  announcement  of  their 
defeat,  they  put  the  machinery  of  the  State  Legislatures  and 
Conventions  into  motion,  and  within  the  period  of  three  months 
they  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  Ordinances  of  Secession  by 
which  seven  of  the  slave  States  have  seceded  and  organized  a  new 
Confederacy  under  the  name  of  the  '  Confederated  States  of 
America.'  These  States,  finding  a  large  number  of  the  mints, 
custom  houses,  forts  and  arsenals  of  the  United  States  situated 
within  their  limits,  unoccupied,  undefended  and  virtually 
abandoned  by  the  late  administration,  have  seized  and  appro- 
priated them  to  their  own  use,  and,  under  the  same  circumstances, 
have  seized  and  appropriated  to  their  own  use  large  amounts  of 
money  and  other  public  property  of  the  United  States  found 
within  their  limits.  The  people  of  the  other  slave  States,  divided 
and  balancing  between  sympathy  with  the  seceding  slave  States 
and  loyalty  to  the  Union,  have  been  intensely  excited,  but  at  the 
present  moment  indicate  a  disposition  to  adhere  to  the  Union  if 
nothing  extraordinary  shall  occur  to  renew  excitement  and  pro- 
duce popular  exasperation.  This  is  the  stage  in  this  premeditated 
revolution  at  which  we  now  stand. 

"  The  opening  of  this  painful  controversy  at  once  raised  the 
question,  whether  it  would  be  for  the  interest  of  the  country  to 
admit  the  projected  dismemberment,  with  its  consequent  evils,  or 
whether  patriotism  and  humanity  require  that  it  shall  be  pre- 
vented. 

"  As  a  citizen,  my  own  decision  on  this  subject  was  promptly 
made,  namely,  that  the  Union  is  inestimable,  and  even  indispen- 
sable, to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  the  whole  country,  and  to 
the  best  interests  of  mankind.  As  a  statesman  in  the  public 
service,  I  have  not  hesitated  to  assume  that  the  Federal  Govern- 


350 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


ment  is  committed  to  maintain,  preserve  and  defend  the  Union — 
peacefully  if  it  can,  forcibly  if  it  must — to  every  extremity. 
Next  to  disunion  itself,  I  regard  civil  war  as  the  most  disastrous 
and  deplorable  of  national  calamities,  and  as  the  most  uncertain 
and  fearful  of  all  remedies  for  political  disorders.  I  have  there- 
fore made  it  the  study  and  labor  of  the  hour,  haw  to  save  the 
Union  from  dismemberment  by  peaceful  policy  and  without  civil 
war. 

"  Influenced  by  these  sentiments,  I  have  felt  that  it  is  exceed- 
ingly fortunate  that  to  a  great  extent  the  Federal  Government 
occupies  thus  far  not  an  aggressive  attitude,  but  practically  a 
defensive  one,  while  the  necessity  for  action,  if  civil  war  is  to  be 
initiated,  falls  on  those  who  seek  to  dismember  and  to  subvert 
the  Union. 

"  It  has  seemed  to  me  equally  fortunate  that  the  disunionists 
are  absolutely  without  any  justification  for  their  rash  and 
desperate  designs.  The  administration  of  the  Government  had 
been  for  a  long  time  virtually  in  their  own  hands,  and  controlled 
and  directed  by  themselves,  when  they  began  the  work  of  revolu- 
tion. They  had,  therefore,  no  other  excuse  than  apprehensions  of 
oppression  from  the  new  and  adverse  administration  which  was 
about  to  come  into  power. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  further,  to  be  a  matter  of  good  fortune  that 
the  new  and  adverse  administration  must  come  in  with  both 
Houses  of  Congress  containing  majorities  opposed  to  its  policy, 
so  that,  even  if  it  would,  it  could  commit  no  wrong  or  injustice 
against  the  States  which  were  being  madly  goaded  into  revolution. 
Under  these  circumstances,  disunion  could  have  no  better  basis 
to  stand  upon  than  a  blind,  unreasoning,  popular  excitement, 
arising  out  of  a  simple  and  harmless  disappointment  in  a  Presi- 
dential election— that  excitement,  if  it  should  find  no  new  ailment, 
must  soon  subside  and  leave  disunion  without  any  real  support. 
On  the  other  hand,  I  have  believed  firmly  that  everywhere,  even 
in  South  Carolina,  devotion  to  the  Union  is  a  profound  and 
permanent  national  sentiment,  which,  although  it  may  be  sup- 
pressed and  silenced  by  terror  for  a  time,  could  if  encouraged,  be 
ultimately  relied  upon  to  rally  the  people  of  the  seceding  States 
to  reverse,  upon  due  deliberation,  all  the  popular  acts  of  Legisla- 
tures and  conventions  by  which  they  were  hastily  and  violently 
committed  to  disunion. 

"  The  policy  of  the  time,  therefore,  has  seemed  to  me  to  con- 
sist in  conciliation,  which  should  deny  to  Disunionists  any  new 
provocation  or  apparent  offense,  while  it  would  enable  the  Union- 
ists in  the  slave  States  to  maintain,  with  truth  and  with  effect,  that 
the  alarms  and  apprehensions  put  forth  by  the  Disunionists  are 
groundless  and  false. 

"  I  have  not  been  ignorant  of  the  objections  that  the  adminis- 
tration was  elected  through  the  activity  of  the  Republican  party  ; 


OPINION  OF  SECRET AR  Y  OF  STA  TE  CONTINUED.    3 5  I 

that  it  must  continue  to  deserve  and  retain  the  confidence  of  that 
party;  while  conciliation  towards  the  slave  States  tends  to  demor- 
alize the  Republican  party  itself,  on  which  party  the  main  respon- 
sibility of  maintaining  the  Union  must  rest. 

"But  it  has  seemed  to  me  a  sufficient  answer,  first,  that  the 
administration'could  not  demoralize  the  Republican  party  without 
making  some  sacrifice  of  its  essential  principles,  while  no  such 
sacrifice  is  necessary  or  is  anywhere  authoritatively  proposed ;  and 
secondly,  if  it  be  indeed  true  that  pacification  is  necessary  to  pre- 
vent dismemberment  of  the  Union,  and  civil  war,  or  either  of 
them,  no  patriot  and  lover  of  humanity  could  hesitate  to  surrender 
party  for  the  higher  interests  of  country  and  humanity. 

"  Partly  by  design,  partly  by  chance,  this  policy  has  been 
hitherto  pursued  by  the  late  administration  of  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment and  by  the  Republican  party  in  its  corporate  action.  It 
is  by  this  policy,  thus  pursued,  I  think,  that  the  progress  of  dis- 
memberment has  been  arrested  after  the  seven  Gulf  States  had 
seceded  and  the  border  States  yet  remain,  although  they  do  so 
uneasily,  in  the  Union. 

"  It  is  to  a  perseverance  in  this  policy  for  a  short  time  longer, 
that  I  look  as  the  only  peaceful  means  of  assuring  the  continu- 
ance of  Virginia,  Maryland,  North  Carolina,  Kentucky,  Tennes- 
see, Missouri  and  Arkansas,  or  most  of  those  States,  in  the 
Union.  It  is  through  their  good  and  patriotic  offices,  that  I  look 
to  see  the  Union  sentiment  revived,  and  brought  once  more  into 
activity  in  the  seceding  States,  and  through  this  agency,  those 
States  themselves  returning  into  the  Union. 

"  I  am  not  unaware  that  I  am  conceding  more  than  can 
reasonably  be  demanded  by  the  people  of  the  border  States. 
They  could,  speaking  justly,  demand  nothing;  they  are  bound  by 
the  Federal  obligation  to  adhere  to  the  Union  without  concession 
or  conciliation,  just  as  much  as  the  people  of  the  free  States  are. 
But  in  administration  we  must  deal  with  men,  facts  and  circum- 
stances, not  as  they  ought  to  be,  but  as  they  are. 

"  The  fact  then  is,  that  while  the  people  of  the  border  States 
desire  to  be  loyal,  they  are  at  the  same  time  sadly,  though 
temporarily,  demoralized  by  a  sympathy  for  the  slave  States, 
which  makes  them  forget  their  loyalty  whenever  there  are  any 
grounds  for  apprehending  that  the  Federal  Government  will  resort 
to  military  coercion  against  the  seceding  States,  even  though  such 
coercion  should  be  necessary  to  maintain  the  authority,  or  even 
the  integrity,  of  the  Union.  This  sympathy  is  unreasonable, 
unwise  and  dangerous,  and  therefore  cannot,  if  left  undisturbed, 
be  permanent.  It  can  be  banished,  however,  only  in  one  way, 
and  that  is  by  giving  time  for  it  to  wear  out,  and  for  reason 
to  resume  its  sway.  Time  will  do  this,  if  it  be  not  hindered  by 
new  alarms  and  provocations. 

"  South  Carolina  opened  the  revolution.     Apprehending  chas- 


352 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


tisement  by  the  military  arm  of  the  United  States,  she  seized  all 
the  forts  of  the  United  States  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  except 
Fort  Sumter,  which,  garrisoned  by  less  than  one  hundred  men, 
stands  practically  in  a  state  of  siege,  but  at  the  same  time  defying 
South  Carolina,  and,  as  the  seceding  States  imagine,  menacing 
her  with  conquest. 

"  Every  one  knows,  first,  that  even  if  Sumter  were  adequately 
reinforced,  it  would  still  be  practically  useless  to  the  Government, 
because  the  administration  in  no  case  could  attempt  to  subjugate 
Charleston  or  the  State  of  South  Carolina. 

"  It  is  held  now  because  it  is  the  property  of  the  United  States, 
and  is  a  monument  of  their  authority  and  sovereignty.  I  would  so 
continue  to  hold  it  so  long  as  it  can  be  done  without  involving  some 
danger  or  evil  greater  than  the  advantage  of  continued  possession. 
The  highest  military  authority  tells  us  that,  without  supplies, 
the  garrison  must  yield  in  a  few  days  to  starvation — that  its  num- 
bsrs  are  so  small  that  it  must  yield  in  a  few  days  to  attack  by  the 
assailants  now  lying  around  it,  and  that  the  case  in  this  respect 
would  remain  the  same  even  if  it  were  supplied,  but  not  reinforced. 
All  the  military  and  naval  authorities  tell  us  that  any  attempt  at 
supplies  would  be  unavailing  without  the  employment  of  armed 
military  and  naval  force.  If  we  employ  armed  force  for  the  pur- 
pose of  supplying  the  fort,  we  give  all  the  provocation  that  could 
be  offered  by  combining  reinforcement  with  supply.  The  question 
submitted  to  us,  then,  practically  is,  Supposing  it  to  be  possible  to 
reinforce  and  supply  Fort  Sumter,  is  it  wise  now  to  attempt  it, 
instead  of  withdrawing  the  garrison? 

"  The  most  that  could  be  done  by  any  means  now  in  our  hands, 
would  be  to  throw  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  four  hundred  men 
into  the  garrison,  with  provisions  for  supplying  it  five  or  six  months. 
In  this  active  and  enlightened  country,  in  this  season  of  excite- 
ment, with  a  daily  press,  daily  mails,  and  an  incessantly  operating 
telegraph,  the  design  to  reinforce  and  supply  the  garrison  must 
become  known  to  the  opposite  party  at  Charleston  as  soon  at  least 
as  preparation  for  it  should  begin.  The  garrison  would  then  almost 
certainly  fall  by  assault  before  the  expedition  could  reach  the  har- 
bor of  Charleston.  But  supposing  the  secret  kept,  the  expedition 
must  engage  in  conflict  on  entering  the  harbor  of  Charleston; 
suppose  it  to  be  overpowered  and  destroyed,  is  that  new  outrage 
to  be  avenged,  or  are  we  then  to  return  to  our  attitude  of  immo- 
bility ?  Should  we  be  allowed  to  do  so  ?  Moreover,  in  that  event, 
what  becomes  of  the  garrison  ? 

"  Suppose  the  expedition  successful.  We  have  then  a  garrison 
in  Fort  Sumter  that  can  defy  assault  for  six  months.  What  is  it  to 
do  then  ?  Is  it  to  make  war  by  opening  its  batteries  and  attempt- 
ing to  demolish  the  defenses  of  the  Carolinians  ?  Can  it  demolish 
them  if  it  tries  ?  If  it  cannot,  what  is  the  advantage  we  shall  have 
gained  ?  If  it  can,  how  will  it  serve  to  check  or  prevent  disunion  ? 


OPINION  OF  SEC  RE  TAR  Y  OF  STA  TE  CONCL  UDED.    353 

In  either  case,  it  seems  to  me  that  we  will  have  inaugurated  a 
civil  war  by  our  own  act,  without  an  adequate  object,  after  which 
reunion  will  be  hopeless,  at  least  under  this  administration,  or  in 
any  other  way  than  by  a  popular  disavowal,  both  of  the  war  and 
of  the  administration  which  unnecessarily  commenced  it.  Frater- 
nity is  the  element  of  union — war  is  the  very  element  of  dis- 
union. Fraternity,  if  practiced  by  this  administration,  will  rescue 
the  Union  from  all  its  dangers.  If  this  administration,  on  the 
other  hand,  take  up  the  sword,  then  an  opposite  party  will  offer 
the  olive  branch,  and  will,  as  it  ought,  profit  by  the  restoration  of 
peace  and  union. 

"  I  may  be  asked  whether  I  would  in  no  case  and  at  no  time 
advise  force — whether  I  purpose  to  give  up  everything.  I  reply,  no. 
I  would  not  initiate  a  war  to  regain  a  useless  and  unnecessary 
position  on  the  soil  of  the  seceding  States.  I  would  not  provoke 
war  in  any  way  nmv.  I  would  resort  to  force  to  protect  the  col- 
lection of  the  revenue,  because  that  is  a  necessary  as  well  as 
legitimate  public  object.  Even  then,  it  should  be  only  a  naval 
force  that  I  would  employ  for  that  necessary  purpose,  while  I 
would  defer  military  action  on  land  until  a  case  should  arise 
where  we  would  hold  the  defensive. 

"  In  that  case,  we  should  have  the  spirit  of  the  country  and 
the  approval  of  mankind  on  our  side.  In  the  other,  we  should 
peril  peace  and  union,  because  we  had  not  the  courage  to  practice 
prudence  and  moderation,  at  the  cost  of  temporary  misapprehen- 
sion. If  this  counsel  seem  to  be  impassive  and  even  unpatriotic, 
I  console  myself  by  the  reflection  that  it  is  such  as  Chatham  gave 
to  his  country  under  circumstances  not  widely  different." 

The  opinion  as  expressed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  was  import- 
ant. He  had  given  the  subject  careful  consideration,  and  he  was 
"  reluctantly  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  unwise 
now  to  make  such  an  attempt;"  that  it  was  perhaps  impossible 
to  succor  the  fort  without  capturing  the  batteries  around  it  by 
means  of  a  large  expedition;  and  that  the  officers  within  the  fort, 
together  with  Generals  Scott  and  Totten,  expressed  the  same 
opinion;  and  it  seemed  to  the  Secretary  that  the  President  could 
not  "disregard  such  high  authority  without  overruling  considera- 
tions of  public  policy."  The  opinion  of  Major  Anderson,  that  he 
would  not  risk  his  reputation  at  an  attempt  at  reinforcement,  and 
to  retain  possession  of  the  fort,  with  less  than  20,000  men,  was 
quoted  by  the  Secretary,  as  well  as  that  of  General  Scott,  in  his 
reply  to  the  inquiry  of  the  President  of  the  i2th  inst.  There  were 
others,  the  Secretary  stated,  who  believed  that  there  might  be  lim- 
ited relief  of  the  fort  without  the  employment  of  so  large  a  force. 


354 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAK. 


The  plan  of  Commander  Ward  was  referred  to,  and  the  proba- 
bility of  its  success  at  the  time,  as  assured  by  Lieutenant-General 
Scott,  but  the  execution  of  which  had  been  prevented  by  the  late 
President.  This  plan  had  now  been  pronounced  impracticable  by 
competent  officers,  and  in  this  Commander  Ward  himself  "  reluc- 
tantly concurs  "  before  the  present  administration  had  assumed  the 
government. 

The  proposition  of  Captain  Fox,  as  approved  by  Commodores 
Stringham  and  Stewart  of  the  Navy,  to  attempt  the  supply  of  the 
fort  by  vessels  of  light  draught  and  boats  protected  by  armed 
vessels,  was  commended  by  the  Secretary,  and  would  be  entitled 
to  his  favorable  consideration  if  he  did  not  feel  that  it  would 
inaugurate  a  bloody  and  protracted  conflict. 

The  Secretary  thought  that  what  might  have  been  done  a 
month  before,  could  not  now  be  accomplished  without  great  sacri- 
fice, and  as  the  fort  must  be  abandoned  sooner  or  later,  it 
appeared  to  him  "that  the  sooner  it  be  done,  the  better;"  that 
if  Fort  Sumter  was  relieved  by  this  plan  we  could  not  hold  it.  No 
practical  benefit  would  result  from  an  acceptance  of  the  proposal, 
and  that  "the  cause  of  humanity  "  and  the  highest  obligation  to 
the  public  interests  required  an  acquiescence  in  the  counsels  sub- 
mitted. This  important  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  War  is  given 
in  full. 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  March  15,  1861. 
"  THE  HONORABLE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  : 

"  My  Dear  Sir  :   Assuming  it  to  be  possible  to  now  provision 
Fort  Sumter,  under  all  the  circumstances  is  it  wise  to  attempt  it? 
Please  give  me  your  opinion  in  writing  on  this  question. 
"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  A  LINCOLN." 
Answer. 

"  In  reply  to  the  letter  of  inquiry  addressed  to  me  by  the  Pres- 
ident, whether,  '  Assuming  it  to  be  possible  now  to  provision  Fort 
Sumter,  under  all  the  circumstances  is  it  wise  to  attempt  it '  ?  I 
beg  leave  to  say  that  it  has  received  the  careful  consideration,  in 
the  limited  time  I  could  bestow  upon  it,  which  its  very  grave 
importance  demands,  and  that  my  mind  has  been  most  reluctantly 
forced  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  unwise  now  to  make  such 
an  attempt. 

"  In  coming  to  this  conclusion,  I  am  free  to  say  I  am  greatly 
influenced  by  the  opinions  of  the  Army  officers  who  have  expressed 
themselves  on  the  subject,  and  who  seem  to  concur  that  it  is,  per- 
haps, now  impossible  to  succor  that  fort  substantially,  if  at  all, 


OPINION  OF  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 


355 


without  capturing,  by  means  of  a  large  expedition  of  ships  of  war 
and  troops,  all  the  opposing  batteries  of  South  Carolina.  All  the 
officers  within  Fort  Sumter,  together  with  Generals  Scott  and  Tot- 
ten,  express  this  opinion,  and  it  would  seem  to  me  that  the  Presi- 
dent would  not  be  justified  to  disregard  such  high  authority  with- 
out overruling  considerations  of  public  policy. 

"  Major  Anderson,  in  his  report  of  the  28th  ultimo,  says: 

"  '  I  confess  that  I  would  not  be  willing  to  risk  my  reputation  on  an  attempt 
to  throw  reinforcements  into  this  harbor  within  the  time  for  our  relief  rendered 
necessary  by  the  limited  supply  of  our  provisions,  and  with  a  view  of  holding 
possession  of  the  same  with  a  force  of  less  than  twenty  thousand  good  and  well- 
disciplined  men.' 

"  In  this  opinion  Major  Anderson  is  substantially  sustained 
by  the  reports  of  all  the  other  officers  within  the  fort,  one  of  whom, 
Captain  Seymour,  speaks  thus  emphatically  on  the  subject  : 

" '  It  is  not  more  than  possible  to  supply  this  fort  by  ruse  with  a  few  men 
or  a  small  amount  of  provisions,  such  is  the  unceasing  vigilance  employed  to 
prevent  it.  To  do  so  openly  by  vessels  alone,  unless  they  are  shot  proof,  is  vir- 
tually impossible,  so  numerous  and  powerful  are  the  opposing  batteries.  No 
vessel  can  lay  near  the  fort  without  being  exposed  to  continual  fire,  and  the  har- 
bor could,  and  probably  would,  whenever  necessary,  be  effectually  closed,  as 
one  channel  has  already  been.  A  projected  attack  in  large  force  would  draw 
to  this  harbor  all  the  available  resources  in  men  and  material  of  the  contiguous 
States.  Batteries  of  guns  of  heavy  calibre  would  be  multiplied  rapidly  and  in- 
definitely. At  least  20,000  men,  good  marksmen,  and  trained  for  months  past 
with  a  view  to  this  very  contingency,  would  be  concentrated  here  before  the 
attacking  force  could  leave  Northern  ports.  The  harbor  would  be  closed.  A 
landing  must  be  effected  at  some  distance  from  our  guns,  which  could  give  no 
aid.  Charleston  Harbor  would  be  a  Sebastopol  in  such  a  conflict,  and  unlimited 
means  would  probably  be  required  to  ensure  success,  before  which  time  the  gar- 
rison of  Fort  Sumter  would  be  starved  out.' 

"  General  Scott,  in  his  reply  to  the  question  addressed  to  him 
by  the  President,  on  the  i2th  instant,  '  What  amount  of  means  and 
of  what  description,  in  addition  to  those  already  at  command, 
would  it  require  to  supply  and  re-enforce  the  fort'  ?  says  : 

"  '1  should  need  a  fleet  of  war  vessels  and  transports,  which,  in  the  scat- 
tered  disposition  of  the  Navy  (as  understood),  could_notbe  collected  in  less  than 
four  months;  5,000  additional  regular  troops  and  20,000  volunteers;  that  is.  a 
force  sufficient  to  take  all  the  batteries,  both  in  the  harbor  (including  Fort  Moul- 
trie)  as  well  as  in  the  approach  or  outer  bay.  To  raise,  organize,  and  disci- 
pline such  an  army  (not  to  speak  of  necessary  legislation  by  Congress,  not  now 
in  session)  would  require  from  six  to  eight  months.  As  a  practical  military 
question,  the  time  for  succoring  Fort  Sumter  with  any  means  at  hand  has  passed 
away  nearly  a  month  ago.  Since  then  a  surrender  under  assault  or  from  starva- 
tion has  been  merely  a  question  of  time. ' 

"  It  is  true  there  are  those,  whose  opinions  are  entitled  to 
respectful  consideration,  who  entertain  the  belief  that  Fort  Sum- 
ter could  yet  be  succored  to  a  limited  extent  without  the  employ- 
ment of  the  large  army  and  naval  forces  believed  to  be  necessary 
by  the  Army  officers  whose  opinions  I  have  already  quoted. 

"  Commander  Ward,  of  the  Navy,  an  officer  of  acknowledged 


356 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAX. 


merit,  a  month  ago  believed  it  to  be  practicable  to  supply  the  fort 
with  men  and  provisions  to  a  limited  extent  without  the  employment 
of  any  very  large  military  or  naval  force.  He  then  proposed  to 
employ  four  or  more  small  steamers  belonging  to  the  Coast  Sur- 
vey to  accomplish  the  purpose,  and  we  have  the  opinion  of  Gen- 
eral Scott  that  he  has  no  doubt  that  Captain  Ward  at  that  time 
would  have  succeeded  with  his  proposed  expedition,  but  was  not 
allowed  by  the  late  President  to  attempt  the  execution  of  his  plan. 
Now  it  is  pronounced,  from  the  change  of  circumstances,  imprac- 
ticable by  Major  Anderson  and  all  the  other  officers  of  the  fort, 
as  well  as  by  Generals  Scott  and  Totten,  and  in  this  opinion  Com- 
mander Ward,  after  full  consultation  with  the  latter-named  officers 
and  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey,  I  understand  now 
reluctantly  concurs. 

"  Mr.  Fox,  another  gentleman  of  experience  as  a  seaman,  who, 
having  formerly  been  engaged  on  the  Coast  Survey,  is  familiar 
with  the  waters  of  the  Charleston  Harbor,  has  proposed  to  make 
the  attempt  to  supply  the  fort  with  cutters  of  light  draught  and 
large  dimensions,  and  his  proposal  has  in  a  measure  been  approved 
by  Commodore  Stringham,  but  he  does  not  suppose  or  propose 
or  profess  to  believe  that  provisions  for  more  than  one  or  two 
months  could  be  furnished  at  a  time. 

"  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  in  my  mind  that  when  Major 
Anderson  first  took  possession  of  Fort  Sumter  he  could  have 
been  easily  supplied  with  men  and  provisions,  and  that  when  Com- 
mander Ward,  with  the  concurrence  of  General  Scott,  a  month  ago 
proposed  his  expedition  he  would  have  succeeded  had  he  been 
allowed  to  attempt  it,  as  I  think  he  should  have  been.  A  different 
state  of  things  now,  however,  exists.  Fort  Moultrie  is  now  rearmed 
and  strengthened  in  every  way  ;  many  new  land  batteries  have 
been  constructed  ;  the  principal  channel  has  been  obstructed; 
in  short,  the  difficulty  of  re-enforcing  the  fort  has  been  increased 
ten  if  not  twenty  fold. 

"  Whatever  might  have  been  done  as  late  as  a  month  ago,  it  is 
too  sadly  evident  that  it  cannot  now  be  done  without  the  sacrifice 
of  life  and  treasure  not  at  all  commensurate  with  the  object  to  be 
attained  ;  and  as  the  abandonment  of  the  fort  in  a  few  weeks, 
sooner  or  later,  appears  to  be  an  inevitable  necessity,  it  seems  to 
me  that  the  sooner  it  be  done  the  better. 

"  The  proposition  presented  by  Mr.  Fox,  so  sincerely  enter- 
tained and  ably  advocated,  would  be  entitled  to  my  favorable 
consideration  if,  with  all  the  light  before  me,  and  in  the  face  of  so 
many  distinguished  military  authorities  on  the  other  side,  I  did 
not  believe  that  the  attempt  to  carry  it  into  effect  would  initiate  a 
bloody  and  protracted  conflict.  Should  he  succeed  in  relieving 
Fort  Sumter,  which  is  doubted  by  many  of  our  most  experienced 
soldiers  and  seamen,  would  that  enable  us  to  maintain  our 
authority  against  the  troops  and  fortifications  of  South  Carolina  ? 


OPINION  OP  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  CONCLUDED.       357 

Sumter  could  not  now  contend  against  these  formidable  adver- 
saries, if  filled  with  provisions  and  men.  That  fortress  was 
intended,  as  her  position  on  the  map  will  show,  rather  to  repel  an 
invading  foe.  It  is  equally  clear,  from  repeated  investigations  and 
trials,  that  the  range  of  her  guns  is  too  limited  to  reach  the  city  of 
Charleston,  if  that  were  desirable. 

"  No  practical  benefit  will  result  to  the  country  or  the  Govern- 
ment by  accepting  the  proposal  alluded  to,  and  I  am  therefore  of 
opinion  that  the  cause  of  humanity  and  the  highest  obligation  to 
the  public  interest  would  be  best  promoted  by  adopting  the  coun- 
sels of  those  brave  and  experienced  men  whose  suggestions  I  have 
laid  before  you. 

[Indorsement.] 

"  There  was  a  signed  copy  of  the  within  placed  in  the  hands 
of  President  Lincoln. 

"  SIMON  CAMERON. 
"MARCH  17,  1861." 

A  like  opinion  was  expressed  by  the  remaining  members  of  the 
Cabinet,  with  the  exception  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
Mr.  Chase,  and  the  Postmaster-General,  Mr.  Blair. 

The  opinion  of  Mr.  Blair  was  well  known.  He  had  urged  the 
relief  of  Fort  Sumter  even  before  his  entry  into  the  Cabinet.  He 
had  induced  his  relative,  Captain  Fox,  to  come  to  Washington,  in 
order  that  the  President  might  consider  the  scheme  for  relief 
proposed  by  him;  and  now  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  newly 
formed  administration,  he  neglected  no  opportunity  to  earnestly 
urge  upon  the  President,  both  within  and  without  the  Cabinet,  the 
propriety  and  the  necessity  of  immediate  action  in  accordance 
with  the  convictions  he  held.  When,  therefore,  he  received  the 
inquiry  of  the  President,  he  was  at  once  prepared  to  respond  to 
it,  which  he  did  upon  the  same  day. 

The  Postmaster-General  belonged  to  that  school  of  Democrats 
of  which  President  Jackson  was  the  great  exponent,  when  he 
declared,  in  defiance  of  the  Nullification  doctrines  of  South 
Carolina,  that  "the  Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved."  His 
father,  Francis  P.  Blair,  was  the  intimate  friend  and  counsellor 
of  President  Jackson,  and  of  Martin  Van  Buren,  his  successor  in 
office,  and,  as  the  controller  of  an  official  journal,  was  the 
accredited  mouth-piece  of  their  administration  in  the  dissemina- 
tion of  their  peculiar  views,  which  became  a  school  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  teachings  of  Jefferson,  and  whose  disciples,  as 
war  Democrat?,  fought  for  the  Union  of  the  States. 


258  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

In  the  reply  to  the  President  he  at  once  announced  himself  as 
in  favor  of  provisioning  Fort  Sumter,  and  in  a  resume  of  the 
considerations  involved,  he  urged  that  the  "  rebellion  "  had  been 
«  enabled  to  attain  its  present  proportions  "  only  through  "  the 
connivance  of  the  late  administration;"  that  nothing  had  been 
done  to  check  its  growth  or  progress,  or  to  prevent  its  recognition, 
"  either  at  home  or  abroad,  as  a  successful  revolution;"  that  it 
had  been  treated  practically  as  a  lawful  proceeding,  and  that  even 
the  Union-loving  people  must  come  to  regard  it  as  a  rightful 
Government.  He  thought  that  it  was  proper  to  exercise  the 
powers  of  the  Government,  only  so  far  as  to  maintain  its 
authority  over  the  revenue,  and  hold  possession  of  the  public 
property,  and  that  this  should  be  done  with  as  little  bloodshed  as 
possible;  that  the  power  and  firmness  of  the  Government  must 
be  exercised,  as  was  done  in  1833  ;  that  not  alone  upon  Mr. 
Buchanan's  weakness  the  rebels  relied  for  success,  but  upon  the 
belief  they  entertained  that  "  Northern  men  were  deficient  in  the 
courage  necessary  to  maintain  the  Government."  "  The  evacu- 
ation of  Fort  Sumter,  when  it  is  known  that  it  can  be  provisioned 
and  manned,  will  convince  the  rebels  that  the  administration 
lacks  firmness,"  will  embolden  them,  and  would  not  only  fail 
to  prevent  collision,  but  would  ensure  it,  unless  all  of  the  other 
forts  are  given  up.  Buchanan's  policy  had  "  rendered  collision 
almost  inevitable,"  and  a  continuance  of  it  would  go  far  to 
produce  a  permanent  division  of  the  Union.  "  Fort  Sumter 
may  be  provisioned  and  relieved  by  Captain  Fox  with  little  risk." 
The  rebellion  would  be  demoralized,  and  a  reactionary  movement 
throughout  the  South  would  follow  which  would  speedily  "  over- 
whelm the  traitors,"  and  whether  the  enterprise  should  succeed  or 
not,  those  who  directed  it  would  receive  honor  from  the  President, 
as  well  as  "  from  the  lovers  of  free  government  in  all  lands." 
His  response  was  as  follows  : 

"  POST  OFFICE  DEPARTMENT, 

"WASHINGTON,  March  15,  1861. 
"  To  THE  PRESIDENT. 

"  Sir:  In  reply  to  your  interrogatory  whether  in  my  opinion 
it  is  wise  to  provision  Fort  Sumter  under  present  circumstances, 
I  submit  the  following  considerations  in  favor  of  provisioning  that 
fort. 

"  The  ambitious  leaders  of  the  late  Democratic  party  have 
availed  themselves  of  the  disappointment  attendant  upon  defeat 


OPINION  OF  POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 


359 


in  the  late  presidential  election  to  found  a  military  government 
in  the  seceding  States. 

"To  the  connivance  of  the  late  administration,  it  is  due  alone 
that  this  rebellion  has  been  enabled  to  attain  its  present  pro- 
portions. 

"It  has  grown  by  this  complicity  into  the  form  of  an  organ- 
ized government  in  seven  States,  and  up  to  this  moment  nothing 
has  been  done  to  check  its  progress  or  prevent  its  being  regarded 
either  at  home  or  abroad  as  a  successful  revolution. 

"  Every  hour  of  acquiescence  in  this  condition  of  things,  and 
especially  every  new  conquest  made  by  the  rebels,  strengthens 
their  hands  at  home  and  their  claim  to  recognition  as  an  inde- 
pendent people  abroad. 

"It  has  from  the  beginning,  and  still  is  treated  practically  as 
a  lawful  proceeding,  and  the  honest  and  Union-loving  people  in 
those  States  must  by  a  continuance  of  this  policy  become  recon- 
ciled to  the  new  Government,  and,  though  founded  in  wrong, 
come  to  regard  it  as  rightful  government. 

"  I,  in  common  with  all  my  associates  in  your  council,  agree 
that  we  must  look  to  the  people  of  these  States  for  the  overthrow 
of  this  rebellion,  and  that  it  is  proper  to  exercise  the  powers  of 
the  Federal  Government  only  so  far  as  to  maintain  its  authority 
to  collect  the  revenue  and  maintain  possession  of  the  public 
property  in  the  States;  and  that  this  should  be  done  with  as  little 
bloodshed  as  possible.  How  is  this  to  be  carried  into  effect  ? 
That  it  is  by  measures  which  will  inspire  respect  for  the  power  of 
the  Government,  and  the  firmness  of  those  who  administer  it, 
does  not  admit  of  debate. 

"It  is  obvious  that  rebellion  was  checked  in  1833  by  the 
promptitude  of  the  President  in  taking  measures  which  made  it 
manifest  that  it  could  not  be  attempted  with  impunity,  and  that 
it  has  grown  to  its  present  formidable  proportions  only  because 
similar  measures  were  not  taken. 

"  The  action  of  the  President  in  1833  inspired  respect,  whilst 
in  1860  the  rebels  were  encouraged  by  the  contempt  they  felt  for 
the  incumbent  of  the  Presidency. 

"But  it  was  not  alone  upon  Mr.  Buchanan's  weakness  the 
rebels  relied  for  success. 

"  They  for  the  most  part  believe  that  the  Northern  men  are 
deficient  in  the  courage  necessary  to  maintain  the  Government. 

"It  is  this  prevalent  error  in  the  South  which  induces  so  large 
a  portion  of  the  people  there  to  suspect  the  good  faith  of  the 
people  of  the  North,  and  enables  the  demagogues  so  successfully 
to  inculcate  the  notion  that  the  object  of  the  Northern  people  is 
to  abolish  slavery,  and  make  the  negroes  the  equals  of  the  whites. 

"  Doubting  the  manhood  of  Northern  men,  they  discredit 
their  disclaimers  of  this  purpose  to  humiliate  and  injure  them. 
Nothing  would  so  surely  gain  credit  for  such  disclaimers  as  the 


360  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

manifestation  of  resolution  on  the  part  of  the  President  to  main- 
tain the  lawful  authority  of  the  nation.  No  men  or  people  have 
so  many  difficulties  as  those  whose  firmness  is  doubted. 

"  The  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter,  when  it  is  known  that  it  can 
be  provisioned  and  manned,  will  convince  the  rebels  that  the 
administration  lacks  firmness,  and  will  therefore  tend,  more  than 
any  event  that  has  happened,  to  embolden  them;  and  so  far  from 
tending  to  prevent  collision,  will  ensure  it  unless  all  the  other  forts 
are  evacuated  and  all  attempts  are  given  up  to  maintain  the  author- 
ity of  the  United  States. 

"  Mr.  Buchanan's  policy  has,  I  think,  rendered  collision  almost 
inevitable,  and  a  continuance  of  that  policy  will  not  only  bring  it 
about,  but  will  go  far  to  produce  a  permanent  division  of  the 
Union. 

"  This  is  manifestly  the  public  judgment,  which  is  much 
more  to  be  relied  on  than  that  of  any  individual.  I  believe  that 
Fort  Sumter  may  be  provisioned  and  relieved  by  Captain  Fox  with 
little  risk;  and  General  Scott's  opinion  that,  with  its  war  comple- 
ment, there  is  no  force  in  South  Carolina  which  can  take  it,  ren- 
ders it  almost  certain  that  it  will  not  then  be  attempted. 

"  This  would  completely  demoralize  the  rebellion.  The  impo- 
tent rage  of  the  rebels  and  the  outburst  of  patriotic  feeling  which 
would  follow  this  achievement,  would  initiate  a  reactionary  move- 
ment throughout  the  South  which  would  speedily  overwhelm  the 
traitors.  No  expense  or  care  should  therefore  be  spared  to 
achieve  this  success.  The  appreciation  of  our  stocks  will  pay  for 
the  most  lavish  outlay  to  make  it  one.  Nor  will  the  result  be 
materially  different  to  the  nation  if  the  attempt  fails  and  its  gallant 
leader  and  followers  are  lost.  It  will  in  any  event  vindicate  the 
hardy  courage  of  the  North,  and  the  determination  of  the  people 
and  their  President  to  maintain  the  authority  of  the  Government, 
and  this  is  all  that  is  wanting,  in  my  judgment,  to  restore  it. 

"  You  should  give  no  thought  for  the  commander  and  his 
comrades  in  this  enterprise.  They  willingly  take  the  hazard  for 
the  sake  of  the  country,  and  the  honor  which,  successful  or  not, 
they  will  receive  from  you  and  the  lovers  of  free  Government  in 
all  lands. 

"  I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  M.  BLAIR." 

Mr.  Chase  was  equally  in  favor  of  some  attempt  being  made 
to  relieve  Fort  Sumter,  although  he  was  not  now,  nor  had  he 
previously  been,  decided  in  his  expressions  to  that  effect.  His 
opinion  was  as  follows: 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,   March  16,   1861. 

"Sir:  The  following  question  was  submitted  to  my  consider- 
ation, by  your  note  of  yesterday. 


CHIEF  ENGINEER  DISCUSSED  "PLANS."  ?6l 

o 

"  '  Assuming  it  to  be  possible  to  novv  provision  Fort  Sumter, 
under  all  the  circumstances  is  it  wise  to  attempt  it '? 

"I  have  given  to  this  question  all  the  reflection  which  the 
engrossing  duties  of  this  department  have  allowed. 

"  A  correct  solution  must  depend,  in  my  judgment,  on  the 
degree  of  possibility;  on  the  combination  of  reinforcement  with 
provisioning;  and  on  the  probable  effects  of  the  measure  upon  the 
relations  of  the  disaffected  States  to  the  National  Government. 

"  I  shall  assume  what  the  statements  of  the  distinguished 
officers  consulted  seem  to  warrant — that  the  possibility  of  success 
amounts  to  a  reasonable  degree  of  probability;  and,  also,  that  the 
attempt  to  provision  is  to  include  an  attempt  to  reinforcement, 
for  it  seems  to  be  generally  agreed  that  provisioning  without  rein- 
forcement will  accomplish  no  substantially  beneficial  purpose. 

"  The  probable  political  effects  of  the  measure  allow  room  for 
much  fair  difference  of  opinion,  and  I  have  not  reached  my  own 
conclusion  without  serious  difficulty. 

"  If  the  proposed  enterprise  will  so  influence  civil  war  as  to 
involve  an  immediate  necessity  for  the  enlistment  of  armies  and 
the  expenditure  of  millions,  I  cannot,  in  the  existing  circum- 
stances of  the  country,  and  in  the  present  condition  of  the 
national  finances,  advise  it.  But  it  seems  to  me  highly  improb- 
able that  the  attempt,  especially  if  accompanied  or  immediately 
followed  by  a  proclamation  setting  forth  a  liberal  and  generous, 
though  firm,  policy  toward  the  disaffected  States,  in  accordance 
with  the  principles  of  the  inaugural  address,  will  produce  such 
consequences;  while  it  cannot  be  doubted  that,  in  maintaining  a 
fort  belonging  to  the  United  States,  and  in  supporting  the  officers 
and  men  engaged,  in  the  regular  course  of  service,  in  its  defense, 
the  Federal  Government  exercises  a  clear  right  and,  under  all 
ordinary  circumstances,  discharges  a  plain  duty. 

"  I  return,  therefore,  an  affirmative  answer  to  the  question  sub- 
mitted to  me.  And  have  the  honor  to  be, 

"  With  the  highest  respect,  your  obedient  servant. 

"S.  P.  CHASE. 

"To  the  PRESIDENT." 

At  this  meeting  of  the  i5th  the  plan  of  Captain  Fox  was  again 
discussed  by  General  Totten,  the  Chief  Engineer,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  President  and  his  Cabinet,  Captain  Fox  and  Commo- 
dore Stringham,  of  the  Navy,  and  General  Scott.  In  the  paper 
presented,  General  Totten  discussed  the  several  plans  proposed 
for  the  relief  of  the  fort — the  entrance  into  the  harbor  by  a 
squadron  of  war  vessels  in  daylight — was  condemned,  both  on 
account  of  the  concentrated  fire  of  the  batteries  and  the  total 
want  of  shelter,  while  small  vessels  would  inevitably  be  destroyed, 
from  the  proficiency  attained  by  practice  with  the  batteries,  as 


362 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


well  as  the  vigilance  displayed  in  guarding  the  harbor.  The 
employment  of  a  few  fast  tugs  to  enter  the  Swash  Channel  by 
night  was  also  considered  by  General  Totten,  who  thought  that 
although  these  tugs  might  pass  the  batteries  without  great  risk, 
and  that  perhaps  all  of  them  might  reach  Fort  Sumter,  they  must 
have  light  to  take  their  bearings,  and  that  in  consequence  they 
would  be  seen  and  would  be  intercepted  by  the  steamers  "  lying 
in  the  channel-way  full  of  men."  He  thought,  too,  that  it  would 
be  "unreasonable  to  suppose"  that  this  plan  had  not  been 
anticipated  and  provided  for,*  and  that  it  like  any  other,  would 
inevitably  involve  a  collision. 

In  reply,  however,  to  this  opinion  of  General  Totten,  it  was 
claimed  by  Captain  Fox  that  all  he  had  urged  was  admitted  by 
General  Totten,  and  that  the  question  of  entrance  into  the  harbor 
was  a  naval  question  solely.  The  opinion  furnished  by  General 
Scott  to  the  Secretary  of  War  as  a  "  Memorandum  "  was  enclosed 
by  the  Secretary  in  his  reply  to  the  President.  At  this  period, 
the  views  of  General  Scott  naturally  carried  great  weight,  and 
upon  such  a  subject  his  opinion  was  deemed  by  many  as 
decisive.  It  was  believed  that  he  had  been  thwarted  by  the 
previous  administration  in  his  patriotic  intentions,  and  his  opinions 
ignored,  and  it  was  the  whole  desire  of  the  present  administration 
to  accord  to  his  counsels  that  respect  and  acquiescence  which  his 
high  character  and  prominent  position  warranted.  His  relations 
to  the  Secretary  of  State,  who  had  sustained  him  in  his  aspirations 
for  the  presidency,  were  close  and  cordial,  as  they  had  ever  been, 
and  his  political  views  were  largely  influenced  by  those  of  the 
Secretary.  When,  therefore,  the  moment  came  for  an  expression 
of  opinion  upon  the  part  of  General  Scott  as  to  the  final  action  of 
the  administration  in  the  case  of  Fort  Sumter,  the  General  was 
not  only  in  accord  with  the  views  of  the  Secretary,  but  even  far 
beyond  them.  In  his  "  Memorandum  "  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
the  impossibility  of  succoring  the  fort  without  carrying  the 
batteries  around  it,  an  opinion  in  which  he  and  General  Totten 
concurred,  was  stated.  Even  if  the  expedition  in  small  tugs 
prepared  by  Captain  Fox  should  succeed  once,  the  necessity  of 

*  This  opinion  was  confirmed  by  General  Beauregard  in  a  conversation  with 
the  author  in  New  York,  March,  1882.  This  plan  of  relief  had  been  antici- 
pated by  the  military  authorities  at  Charleston,  and  such  provision  made  to 
meet  it  that  its  success  was  pronounced  by  him  impossible. 


MEMORANDUM  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT.  363 

its  repetition  would  recur;  and  he  concludes  that  an  abandonment 
of  the  fort  in  a  few  weeks,  sooner  or  later,  would  appear  therefore 
to  be  a  sure  necessity,  and  if  so,  the  sooner  the  more  graceful  on 
the  part  of  the  Government.  The  paper  submitted  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  by  General  Scott  is  here  given : 

"  GENERAL  SCOTT'S  MEMORANDUM  FOR  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

"  It  seems,  from  the  opinions  of  the  Army  officers  who  have 
expressed  themselves  on  the  subject — all  within  Fort  Sumter, 
together  with  Generals  Scott  and  Totten — that  it  is  perhaps  now 
impossible  to  succor  that  fort  substantially,  if  at  all,  without 
capturing,  by  means  of  a  large  expedition  of  ships  of  war  and 
troops,  all  the  opposing  batteries  of  South  Carolina.  In  the  mean- 
time— six  or  ten  months — Major  Anderson  would  almost  certainly 
have  been  obliged  to  surrender  under  assault  or  the  approach  of 
starvation  ;  for  even  if  an  expedition  like  that  proposed  by 
G.  V.  Fox  should  succeed  once  in  throwing  in  the  succor  of  a  few 
men  and  a  few  weeks'  provision,  the  necessity  of  repeating  the 
latter  supply  would  return  again  and  again,  including  the  yellow- 
fever  season.  An  abandonment  of  the  fort  in  a  few  weeks  sooner 
or  later  would  appear,  therefore,  to  be  a  sure  necessity,  and  if  so, 
the  sooner  the  more  graceful  on  the  part  of  the  Government. 

"  It  is  doubtful,  however,  according  to  recent  information  from 
the  South,  whether  the  voluntary  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  alone 
would  have  a  decisive  effect  upon  the  States  now  wavering  between 
adherence  to  the  Union  and  secession.  It  is  known,  indeed,  that 
it  would  be  charged  to  necessity,  and  the  holding  of  Fort  Pickens 
would  be  adduced  in  support  of  that  view.  Our  Southern  friends, 
however,  are  clear  that  the  evacuation  of  both  the  forts  would 
instantly  soothe  and  give  confidence  to  the  eight  remaining  slave- 
holding  States,  and  render  their  cordial  adherence  to  this  Union 
perpetual. 

"  The  holding  of  Forts  Jefferson  and  Taylor,  on  the  ocean 
keys,  depends  on  entirely  different  principles,  and  should  never  be 
abandoned;  and,  indeed,  the  giving  up  of  Forts  Sumter  and  Pickens 
may  be  best  justified  by  the  hope  that  we  should  thereby  recover 
the  State  to  which  they  geographically  belong  by  the  liberality  of 
the  act,  besides  retaining  the  eight  doubtful  States." 

This  Memorandum  of  General  Scott  was  written  upon  the  day 
fixed  for  the  final  action  on  the  question  as  to  whether  supplies 
should  be  sent.  The  General  was  under  the  impression  that  the 
evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  had  been  determined  upon  by  the 
President,  and  he  had  also  recommended  the  evacuation  of  Fort 
Pickens.  Contrary  to  the  expectation  of  the  President,  the  ques- 
tion was  not  decided  at  the  Cabinet  meeting  of  the  isth,  when 


364 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 


some  only  of  the  opinions  were  presented  and  a  discussion  took 

place. 

All  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  agreed  substantially  in 
the  views  expressed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of 
War,  except  the  Postmaster-General  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  as  has  just  been  seen.  Their  opinions  were  in  writing, 
and  were  handed  to  the  President.  No  formal  decision  by  vote 
was  made,  as  such  proceeding  was  unusual  in  Cabinet  consulta- 
tions, the  decision  being  always  left  to  the  President  alone.  Al- 
though the  majority  of  his  Cabinet  were  decided  in  their  opinion 
as  to  the  policy  to  be  pursued,  which  was  against  the  attempt  to 
relieve  Fort  Sumter,  its  effect  upon  the  President  was  advisory 
only,  and  his  ultimate  decision,  influenced  as  it  was  by  subsequent 
circumstances,  was  adverse  to  it.  After  the  Cabinet  had  separated, 
the  Postmaster-General,  Mr  Blair  sought  an  interview  with  his 
father,  the  venerable  Francis  P.  Blair,  to  whom  he  related  the 
circumstances  of  the  meeting,  and  what  he  inferred  was  the  decision 
arrived  at.  Mr.  Blair  at  once  sought  the  President,  with  whom  he 
was  upon  terms  of  intimacy.  He  found  him  yet  in  his  place  in 
the  Cabinet  room,  and  engaged  in  securing  the  written  opinions  of 
the  members  of  his  Cabinet  just  handed  to  him.  He  was  at  once 
asked  by  Mr.  Blair  if  it  had  been  determined  to  withdraw  Anderson 
from  Sumter.  The  President  replied  that  it  had  not  yet  been  fully 
determined  upon,  but  that  the  Cabinet  were  almost  a  unit  in  favor 
of  it,  "  all  except  your  son,"  said  he,  and  that  he  thought  that  such 
would  be  the  result.  Mr.  Blair  then  expressed  his  belief  that 
such  a  course  would  not  be  endorsed  by  the  people,  that  it  would 
destroy  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party,  and  that  impeach- 
ment would  probably  follow  *  Upon  subsequent  occasions  Mr. 
Blair  repeated  the  statement,  and  always  affirmed  that  his  son  the 
Postmaster- General  was  the  only  member  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  Cab- 
inet who  opposed  the  withdrawal  of  the  garrison  from  Fort  Sumter. 
The  Postmaster-General  himself  was  under  the  same  impression, 
and  frequently  asserted  it  as  the  statement  of  Mr.  Lincoln  to  him, 
and  it  was  so  believed  in  the  country. 

The  subject  of  relief  to  Fort  Sumter  was  now  a  constant 
source  of  discussion  both  within  and  without  the  Cabinet,  while 
the  impression  became  general  that,  with  the  exception  of  the 

*  Mr.  Blair  to  author. 


PRIVATE  LETTER  OF  POSTMASTER-GENERAL.       365 

Postmaster-General,  the  entire  Cabinet,  yielding  to  the  views  of 
the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Seward,  and  influenced  by  the  military 
counsel  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  was  averse  to  any  attempt 
to  succor  the  fort  under  the  then  existing  circumstances,  and  this 
gave  rise  to  great  feeling  in  the  country.  Mr.  Blair  himself  was 
open  in  his  expression  and  decided  in  his  course;  and  in  a  letter 
to  the  writer,  of  the  6th  of  May,  1882,  he  has  given  so  clear  and 
detailed  an  account  of  what  took  place,  and  of  his  personal  rela- 
tion to  it,  that  it  is  here  given  in  his  own  language. 

"  You  will  see,"  said  he,  "by  Mr.  Seward's  letter  to  Mr.  Adams 
of  April  10,  1 86 1,*  that  he  considered  the  Union  dissolved  at 
that  time,  and  contemplated,  at  some  future  time,  the  call  of  a  con- 
vention to  bring  about  reunion.  For  this  reason  he  opposed  the 
use  of  force  to  retain  possession  of  the  fort.  He  thought  this 
would  engender  bad  blood,  and  prove  an  obstacle  to  his  plan  of 
a  peaceful  return  of  the  States,  which  he  regarded  as  the  only 

practicable  mode  of  securing  reunion. 

******* 

"  General  Scott,  in  the  belief  that  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter 
had  been  determined  upon,  wrote  to  the  President  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  surrender  Fort  Pickens  also. 

"  This  letter  was  written  on  the  day  fixed  for  the  final  action  on 
the  question,  whether  Sumter  should  be  surrendered.  But  con- 
trary to  the  President's  previous  intention,  he  did  not  decide  the 
question  at  the  Cabinet  meeting  that  day.  After  dinner  the  Presi- 
dent called  the  members  out  of  the  room  where  he  had  dined 
with  them,  and  in  an  agitated  manner  read  Scott's  letter,  which  he 
seemed  just  to  have  received.  An  oppressive  silence  followed. 
At  last  I  said,  "  Mr.  President  you  can  now  see  that  General 
Scott,  in  advising  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter,  is  playing  the  part 
of  a  politician,  not  of  a  general,  for  as  no  one  pretends  that  there 
is  any  military  necessity  for  the  surrender  of  Fort  Pickens,  which 
he  now  says  it  is  equally  necessary  to  surrender,  it  is  believed 
that  he  is  governed  by  political  reasons  in  both  recommendations. 

"  No  answer  could  be  made  to  this  point,  and  the  President  saw 
that  he  was  misled,  and  immediately  ordered  the  reinforcement 
of  Fort  Sumter.  It  is  impossible  to  exaggerate  the  importance 
and  merit  of  this  act.  It  was  an  irrevocable  decision  that  the 


*  "  Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  1861,''  p  58. 


2  66  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Union  should  be  maintained  by  force  of  arms.  It  was  assuming 
the  greatest  responsibility  ever  assumed  by  any  man,  and  it  was 
assumed  by  Lincoln  with  only  the  support  t>f  a  single  member  of 
the  Cabinet,  and  he  represented  no  State,  and  was  the  youngest  and 
least  distinguished  member;  and  he  was  opposed  by  all  the  others, 
who  were  the  leaders  of  the  Republican  party,  and  the  representa- 
tive men  of  the  great  Republican  States.  Lincoln  himself  was 
inexperienced,  and  those  who  opposed  the  stand  he  took  had 
not  only  great  experience  in  public  affairs,  but  they  were 
regarded  by  Lincoln  himself  as  his  superiors.  That  he  should 
resolve  to  stand  by  his  convictions  of  duty  against  all  these 
influences  ought,  and  I  believe  will,  crown  him  with  immortal 
honor." 

The  replies  given  by  the  different  members  of  the  Cabinet  to 
the  President's  inquiry  in  regard  to  Fort  Sumter  gave  rise  to 
much  discussion  and  speculation.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
Mr.  Chase,  in  order  "  to  correct  misapprehensions,"  as  early  as 
the  28th  of  April,  1861,  after  Fort  Sumter  had  been  fired  upon 
and  taken,  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Hon.  Alphonso  Taft. 

In  this  he  not  only  defined  his  position  in  regard  to  the  relief 
of  Sumter  at  that  time,  but  so  clearly  and  forcibly  set  forth  the 
views  that  animated  him  that  the  communication  is  given  entire. 

"WASHINGTON,  April  28,  1861. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  To  correct  misapprehensions,  except  by  acts, 
is  an  almost  vain  endeavor.  You  may  say,  however,  to  all  whom 
it  may  concern,  that  there  is  no  ground  for  the  ascription  to  me 
by  Major  Brown  of  the  sentiment  to  which  you  allude. 

"  True  it  is  that  before  the  assault  on  Fort  Sumter,  in  anti- 
cipation of  an  attempt  to  provision  famishing  soldiers  of  the  Union, 
I  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  a  positive  policy  and  against  the 
notion  of  drifting — the  Micawber  policy  of  '  waiting  for  some- 
thing to  turn  up.' 

"As  a  positive  policy,  two  alternatives  were  plainly  before  us. 
(i)  That  of  enforcing  the  laws  of  the  Union  by  its  whole  power 
and  thro  ugh  its  whole  extent;  or  (2)  that  of  recognizing  the  organi- 
zation of  actual  government  by  the  seven  seceded  States  as  an 
accomplished  revolution — accomplished  through  the  complicity 
of  the  late  administration  and  letting  the  Confederacy  try  its 
experiment  of  separation  ;  but  maintaining  the  authority  of  the 
Union  and  treating  secession  as  treason  everywhere  else. 

"Knowing  that  the  former  of  these  alternatives  involved 
destructive  war,  and  vast  expenditure,  and  oppressive  debt,  and 
thinking  it  possible  that  through  the  latter  these  great  evils  might 


LETTERS  OF  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY.       367 

be  avoided,  the  union  of  the  other  States  preserved  unbroken,  the 
return  even  of  the  seceded  States,  after  an  unsatisfactory  experi- 
ment of  separation,  secured,  and  the  great  cause  of  freedom  and 
constitutional  government  peacefully  vindicated — thinking,  I  say, 
these  things  possible,  I  preferred  the  latter  alternative. 

"  The  attack  on  Fort  Sumter,  however,  and  the  precipitation 
of  Virginia  into  hostility  to  the  National  Government,  made  this 
latter  alternative  impracticable,  and  I  had  then  no  hesitation  about 
recurring  to  the  former.  Of  course,  I  insist  on  the  most  vigorous 
measures,  not  merely  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union  and  the 
defense  of  the  Government,  but  for  the  constitutional  re-estab- 
lishment of  the  full  authority  of  both  throughout  the  land. 

"  In  laboring  for  these  objects  I  know  hardly  the  least  ces- 
sation, and  begin  to  feel  the  wear  as  well  as  the  strain  of  them. 
When  my  criticizers  equal  me  in  labor  and  zeal,  I  shall  most  cheer- 
fully listen  to  their  criticisms. 

"  All  is  safe  here  now.  Baltimore  is  repenting,  and  by  repent- 
ance may  be  saved,  if  she  adds  works  meet  for  repentance.  Soon 
something  else  will  be  heard  of. 

"Yours  truly, 

"  S.  P.  CHASE. 

"  Hon.  ALPHONSO  TAFT." 

Years  passed  without  correcting  the  impression  which  pre- 
vailed, when  his  attention  was  called  to  it  in  a  letter  to  him  from 
Judge  J.  S.  Black,  to  whom  he  replied  on  the  4th  of  July,  1870, 
as  follows : 

"  On  one  other  point  I  wish  to  correct  your  information,  lest 
not  mentioning  it  I  may  seem  to  have  admitted  its  exactitude. 

''You  state  that  '  the  Cabinet  (Mr.  Lincoln's)  voted  six  to  one 
in  favor  of  surrendering  Fort  Sumter,  Mr.  Blair  being  the  only 
dissentient.'  I  never  voted  for  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter.  My 
grounds  of  opposition  were  not  perhaps  the  same,  nor  so  absolute 
as  Mr.  Blair's,  but  I  was  against  it,  and  so  voted.  I  make  this 
statement,  not  for  the  public,  but  for  yourself,  because  I  was  in  a 
position  to  be  well  informed,  and  am  sure  you  would  not  willingly 
remain  in  error.  Before  all  things,  justice. 

"  With  great  respect  and  regard, 

"  Yours  very  truly, 
(Signed)  "  S.  P.  CHASE." 

The  strong  endorsement  of  General  Scott  had  also  produced 
its  effect  upon  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Cameron,  who,  up  to  the 
moment  when  the  "  Views  "  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott  were  read 
to  the  Cabinet  by  the  President,  had  been  against  any  attempt  to 
relieve  the  fort  as  "  too  late."  He  now  changed  his  mind,  and 


368 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


became  an  advocate  of  the  relief  of  the  work,  and  so  argued  upon 
the  final  disposition  of  the  subject  by  the  Cabinet  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Among  those  present  on  the  evening  when  the  question  in  re- 
gard to  Fort  Sumter  was  determined,  was  Mr.  George  Harring- 
ton, then  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who,  in  his  record- 
ed reminiscences,  says,  "  I  was  at  the  White  House  one  evening, 
and  found  there  with  the  President  Mr.  Welles,  Mr.  Fox  and  Mr. 
Montgomery  Blair,  and  ere  they  separated  it  was  determined  to 
relieve  and  provision  Fort  Sumter.  I  went  to  Mr.  Seward  and 
informed  him  of  the  fact,  which,  though,  as  he  said,  '  difficult  to 
believe,'  he  subsequently  found  to  be  true."* 

It  would  seem,  however,  from  the  subsequent  statement  of 
the  President,  in  his  message  to  Congress  at  the  extra  session  of 
July,  1 86 1,  that  he  was  brought  to  this  conclusion  and  action 
mainly  by  the  intelligence,  just  received,  that  "under  the  quasi 
armistice  of  the  late  administration  "  the  company  on  board  the 
Sabine  had  not  been  landed  at  Fort  Pickens,  as  he  had  anticipat- 
ed and  directed,  as  will  be  fully  narrated  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 


"  Harrington's  Reminiscences." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

President  desires  further  information  from  Major  Anderson — Captain  Fox  sent 
as  messenger — Arrives  at  Sumter— His  interview  with  Anderson— State- 
ment of  provisions  given  to  him — Visit  of  Ward  H.  Lamon— Professed  ob- 
ject, removal  of  command  —Provisions  being  rapidly  exhausted — Anderson 
asks  instructions— Firing  of  batteries  upon  ice  schooner  attempting  to 
enter  harbor  —Anderson  sends  an  officer  to  Governor — Result — Important 
despatch  of  Commissioner  Crawford —Anderson  writes  to  Washington — 
Despondent  feeling— Important  communication  of  Secretary  of  War — 
Powerful  battery  suddenly  unmasked  on  SuHivan's  Island  —Effect  upon 
Anderson — Captain  Fox  accused  of  breach  of  faith — Charleston  authorities 
seize  the  mails — Important  despatch  of  Anderson  taken — His  letter. 

AFTER  the  important  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  on  the  i5th  of 
March,  and  before  taking  any  positive  steps,  the  President  deter- 
mined to  obtain  further  information  from  Major  Anderson  him- 
self. Accordingly,  a  communication  was  addressed  to  Lieuten- 
ant-General  Scott  on  the  igth  of  March  by  the  Secretary  of  War, 
requesting  him  to  direct  some  suitable  and  competent  person  to 
proceed  to  Fort  Sumter  and  to  obtain  "  accurate  information  in 
regard  to  the  command  of  Major  Anderson."  Upon  being  sent 
to  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  he  endorsed  upon  it,  "  The  within 
may  do  good,  and  can  do  no  harm.  It  commits  no  one."  Cap- 
tain G.  V.  Fox  was  the  envoy  selected  by  General  Scott,  and  his 
selection  was  approved  by  the  President.  On  the  same  day  he 
left  Washington  for  Charleston,  arriving  on  the  morning  of  the 
2ist  of  March. 

On  the  morning  of  this  day  Dr.  Robinson,  of  Charleston,  had 
come  to  the  fort  on  a  mission  to  Major  Anderson.  He  reported 
that  a  telegram  authorizing  the  removal  of  the  garrison  had  al- 
ready come  to  Charleston,  and  he  brought  a  message  from  the  Gov- 
ernor that,  while  he  was  unwilling  to  trust  the  Cabinet  at  Wash- 
ington, he  had  confidence  in  Major  Anderson,  who  had  never 
deceived  him,  and  that  he  might  leave  as  he  saw  fit;  that  Major 
Anderson  had  done  right  in  all  his  course.  Upon  arriving  at 
Charleston,  Captain  Fox  sought  an  interview  with  Captain  Hart- 
stene,  an  old  comrade — a  native  of  South  Carolina,  formerly  of  the 

369 


3  7Q  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

United  States  Navy — who  had  now  entered  the  service  of  his 
State.  To  him  he  expressed  his  desire  to  visit  Fort  Sumter,  in 
order  to  learn  the  actual  condition  of  its  command  and  to  inquire 
into  the  state  of  the  provisions.  After  a  consultation  with  Gov- 
ernor Pickens,  which  lasted  half  an  hour,  Captain  Hartstene, 
accompanied  by  Captain  Fox,  waited  upon  the  Governor,  who 
received  him,  and  at  once  asked  for  the  orders  under  which  he 
acted.  Captain  Fox  replied  that  he  had  no  written  orders,  but 
showed  to  him  the  letter  of  General  Scott,  and  informed  the  Gov- 
ernor of  his  purpose  to  ascertain  the  state  of  Major  Anderson's 
provisions  and  the  actual  condition  of  his  command.  The  con- 
versation closed  by  an  inference,  upon  the  part  of  Governor 
Pickens,  that  the  object  of  the  visit  was  a  peaceful  one,  in  which 
Captain  Fox  acquiesced. *  After  some  delay,  Captain  Hartstene 
was  directed  to  accompany  Captain  Fox  to  Fort  Sumter.  They 
left  at  once  and  arrived  at  the  fort  after  dark,  where  they  were 
met  by  Major  Anderson  and  some  of  his  officers.  Captain  Fox 
was  the  bearer  of  three  letters  to  Major  Anderson,  who  showed 
them  to  the  writer  in  confidence.  One  of  these  was  a  letter 
from  General  Scott  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Holt,  mention- 
ing the  services  of  Major  Anderson,  and  stating  that  he  was  only 
the  interpreter  of  the  wishes  of  thousands  when  he  expressed  the 
desire  that  he  should  be  suitably  rewarded;  and  he  recommends 
that  a  brevet  of  lieutenant-colonel  be  conferred  upon  him  for 
moving  his  command  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Sumter;  and  for 
maintaining  his  position  there,  "  aside  of  privation,"  in  the  face 
of  a  numerous  and  powerful  force,  he  recommends  him  for  a 
brevet  of  colonel. 

The  second  letter  was  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr. 
Cameron,  to  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  stating  the  desire  of  the 
President  for  accurate  information  in  regard  to  Anderson  and  his 
command,  and  directing  that  a  special  messenger  should  be  sent 
at  once.  The  remaining  letter  was  from  Governor  Pickens  to 
Major  Anderson,  stating  that  he  had  permitted  Captain  Fox  and 
Captain  Hartstene  to  go  down  to  the  fort,  and  he  regretted  that 
General  Scott  could  not  have  been  more  formal  with  him,  but 
that  he  trusted  to  Major  Anderson  as  a  man  of  honor.  The 
visit  of  Captain  Fox  was  short.  After  a  general  conversation  in 


Captain  Fox  to  author. 


CAPTAIN  FOX  A  T  FORT  SUMTER. 


371 


the  room  of  the  officer  of  the  guard,  at  the  sally-port  of  the  work, 
Major  Anderson  moved  off  in  company  with  Captain  Fox,  leav- 
ing Captain  Hartstene  in  conversation  with  his  officers.  It  was 
now  dark ;  when  they  reached  the  parapet  Major  Anderson  turned 
the  conversation  upon  his  position,  and  knowing  that  the  author 
of  the  proposed  scheme  for  his  relief  was  before  him,  he  at  once 
earnestly  condemned  any  proposal  to  send  him  reinforcements. 
He  asserted  that  it  was  too  late;  he  agreed  with  General  Scott 
that  an  entrance  by  sea  was  impossible;  and  he  impressed  upon 
Captain  Fox  his  belief  that  any  reinforcements  coming  would  at 
once  precipitate  a  collision  and  inaugurate  civil  war,  and  to  this 
he  manifested  the  most  earnest  opposition,  and  dwelt  at  length 
upon  the  political  results  that  would  follow. 

It  was  while  engaged  in  this  conversation,  begun  and  main- 
tained chiefly  by  Major  Anderson  himself,  that  the  sound  of  oars 
was  heard  close  to  the  work  while  no  boat  was  visible  The 
entire  feasibility  of  the  plan  of  relief  by  boats,  seemed  to  be  con- 
firmed by  this  incident,  and  the  attention  of  Major  Anderson  was 
drawn  to  it  by  Captain  Fox,  who  showed  to  him  that,  screened  by 
the  darkness,  it  would  be  impossible  to  fire  upon  the  boats  with  any 
accuracy.  A  point  at  the  pancoupe  on  the  left  flank  of  the  work, 
where  a  landing  might  take  place,  was  pointed  out  by  Captain  Fox. 

But  it  was  urged  by  Major  Anderson  that  the  naval  prepara- 
tions at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  would  prevent  the  tugs  and 
boats  from  reaching  him,  when  Captain  Fox  replied  that  his  bar- 
bette guns  would  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  channel  open.  So 
impressed  was  Captain  Fox  by  the  manner  and  arguments  of 
Major  Anderson,  that  he  did  not  lay  before  him  what  he  might 
otherwise  have  done,  and  he  was  conscious  of  no  obligation  on 
his  part  which  would  prevent  his  giving  him  all  the  information  in 
his  possession  that  affected  his  position.  No  proposal  was  made 
or  discussed,  or  arrangement  made  for  relieving  the  work,  nor  did 
Captain  Fox  refer  Major  Anderson  again  to  his  plan,  now  known 
to  him;  and  while  the  object  of  his  visit  was  to  obtain  more 
accurate  knowledge  for  the  President,  there  was  in  addition  a 
strong  personal  reason,  and  which  largely  influenced  him  in 
making  it.  He  had  not  before  been  in  those  waters,  and  the 
constant  reference  to  that  fact  by  those  members  of  the  Cabinet 
who  opposed  the  sending  of  relief,  strongly  influenced  him  to 
visit  the  work  and  by  personal  observation  do  away  with  such 


372 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


objection.  The  President  had  not  yet  made  up  his  mind  to 
relieve  the  fort,  the  whole  matter  was  in  abeyance;  nor  was  Cap- 
tain Fox  authorized  to  give  Major  Anderson  to  understand  that 
reinforcements  would  probably  be  sent  to  him.  Still  less  was  it 
his  purpose  to  arrange  a  plan  with  Major  Anderson  for  his  relief. 
The  scheme  long  before  proposed  by  him  had  been  discussed 
openly  in  the  public  press,  as  well  as  by  Major  Anderson  and  his 
officers  in  the  fort,  to  whom  Lieutenant  Hall  upon  his  return 
from  Washington  had  brought  the  report  of  the  discussion  of  this 
plan  in  the  presence  of  General  Scott  on  the  6th  of  February.  It 
was  the  plan  of  relief  most  feared  by  the  South  Carolina  authori- 
ties. "  The  danger  to  be  feared,"  said  Major-General  Bonham, 
afterwards  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  "  is  that  light-draught 
vessels,  barges  or  boats  in  the  night  may  be  sent  in  through  the 
two  middle  channels;"  and  General  Beauregard  had,  on  April 
10,  officially  informed  the  commanding  officer  on  Sullivan's 
Island,  that  Captain  Hartstene  and  the  naval  officers  were  of 
opinion  that  boats  could  pass  the  batteries  on  a  dark  night. 

The  visit  of  Captain  Fox  was  short;  a  statement  of  the  pro- 
visions on  hand  was  furnished  to  him,  and  it  was  understood 
between  himself  and  Major  Anderson  that  unless  provisions  were 
furnished  to  him,  he  could  not  hold  his  position  beyond  the  i5th 
of  April  at  noon,  even  if  he  should  at  once  place  his  command 
on  short  rations,  and  for  this  he  should  await  the  orders  of  his 
Government. 

Before  leaving,  Major  Anderson  desired  that  Captain  Fox 
should  converse  with  one  of  the  engineer  officers.  He  declined 
to  bring  him  to  Captain  Foster,  as  his  relations  with  that  officer 
were  not  cordial,  and  he  suggested  Lieutenant  Snyder.  While 
in  conversation  with  that  officer,  Captain  Foster  came  up  and 
made  a  rapid  statement  of  his  work,  saying  that  he  was  doing  all 
in  his  power  to  strengthen  the  fort  without  instructions  from  Major 
Anderson,  who,  although  he  acquiesced,  did  not  encourage  him.*t 

*  Upon  his  return  to  Charleston,  Captain  Fox  held  a  short  conversation 
with  General  Beauregard,  who  was  not  present  at  his  interview  with  the  Gover- 
nor, or  indeed  in  Charleston,  before  he  went  to  the  fort.  The  interview  was 
unimportant,  as  Captain  Fox  had  accomplished  his  visit.  In  a  conversation  with 
Captain  Hartstene,  General  Beauregard  asked  "Were  you  with  Captain  Fox  all 
the  time  of  his  visit?"  "  All  but  a  short  period,  when  he  was  with  Major  Ander- 
son," replied  Captain  Hartstene.  "I  fear  that  we  shall  have  occasion  to  regret 
that  short  period,"  said  General  Beauregard.  ( Beam egard  to  author,  N.  Y., 
March,  1882.) 

t  Fox  to  author. 


REPORTED  WITHDRAWAL  GF  GARRISON. 


373 


The  visit  of  Captain  Fox  was  made  the  subject  of  a  communi- 
cation to  his  Government  by  Major  Anderson,  who  in  reporting 
his  visit  informed  the  Department  that  he  had  examined  the  point 
alluded  to  by  him,  as  a  proper  landing-place  for  supplies,  and  had 
found  that  a  vessel  lying  there  would  be  under  the  fire  of  thirteen 
guns  from  Fort  Moultrie;  and  he  gives  the  opinion  of  his  engineer 
officer  also,  that  at  that  point  she  would  require  at  high  tide  a 
staging  of  forty  feet,  and  he  submitted  that  the  Department  could 
thus  decide  what  chances  there  were  of  a  safe  debarkation  and 
unloading  at  that  point.  The  impression  produced  upon  Major 
Anderson  was  that  this  idea,  "  merely  hinted  at "  to  him  by  Captain 
Fox,  would  not  be  carried  out.  Upon  the  conclusion  of  his  visit, 
which  lasted  but  little  over  an  hour,  Captain  Fox  returned  to 
Washington  that  night. 

Every  hour  now  tended  to  strengthen  the  belief  that  the 
garrison  was  to  be  withdrawn,  and  the  preliminary  steps  to  be 
taken  were  considered  upon  both  sides.  The  public  press  as  well 
as  private  advices  from  Washington  all  seemed  to  place  the  fact 
of  the  withdrawal  beyond  doubt.  The  engineer  officer  had  made 
his  arrangements,  and  had  reported  to  his  chief  his  intentions,  and 
had  received  from  that  official  his  instructions  as  to  the  disposi- 
tion to  be  made  of  the  property.  He  was  to  bring  away  his  books 
and  drawings,  and,  if  it  were  possible,  to  secure  the  heavy  articles 
of  property.  The  hospital  supplies  were  also  packed  up  except 
such  as  were  needed  for  immediate  use.  But  official  action  on 
the  subject  was  wanting,  and  the  month  of  March  closed  leaving  the 
matter  still  undecided,  although  the  positive  conviction,  both 
within  and  without  Fort  Sumter,  was  that  it  would  be  evacuated. 
So  confidently  was  the  change  anticipated,  that  on  the  2pth  of 
March  Major  Anderson  stated  that  the  Government  preferred 
that  the  transportation  necessary  should  be  procured  in  Charleston. 
Time  passed  without  any  change,  when  on  the  morning  of  the  25th 
a  steamer  bearing  a  white  flag  was  seen  approaching  the  work. 
She  bore  Colonel  Ward  H.  Lamon,  of  Washington,  who,  accom- 
panied by  Colonel  Duryea,  of  the  Governor's  staff,  had  been  per- 
mitted by  Governor  Pickens  to  visit  Major  Anderson.  Colonel 
Lamon  had  been  for  some  time  in  Charleston,  where  he  had  regis- 
tered himself  from  Virginia,  and  the  public  journals  had  announced 
his  presence  as  connected  with  postal  matters.  He  finally  sought 
an  interview  with  the  Governor,  as  a  "  confidential  agent  of  the 


374 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


President,"  and  informed  him  that  he  had  come  for  the  purpose 
of  arranging  for  the  removal  of  the  garrison.*  He  had  been 
courteously  received  by  the  Governor,  who,  under  the  escort  of 
one  of  his  aides,  had  sent  him  to  Major  Anderson,  with  whom  he 
remained  alone'  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  Upon  the  character  of 
the  interview  Major  Anderson  was  silent,  although  he  informed 
the  writer  that  he  "  would  be  amused  at  the  confidential  communi- 
cations of  the  messenger."  The  impression  produced  upon 
Major  Anderson,  as  well  as  upon  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
garrison,  was  that  the  command  was  to  be  withdrawn. 

Upon  his  return  to  Charleston,  Colonel  Lamon  inquired  of  the 
Governor  if  a  war  vessel  could  not  be  allowed  to  remove  the 
garrison.  He  was  answered  that  "  no  war  vessel  could  be  allowed 
to  enter  the  harbor  on  any  terms."  He  then  informed  the  Gover- 
nor that  Major  Anderson  preferred  an  ordinary  steamer,  to  which 
the  Governor  agreed.  He  also  told  him  that  the  President  pro- 
fessed a  desire  to  evacuate  the  work.  Upon  his  return  to  Wash- 
ington he  wrote  to  Governor  Pickens  that  he  hoped  to  return  in  a 
very  few  days  to  withdraw  the  command. 

The  month  of  March  was  now  drawing  to  its  close,  and  to  the 
occupants  of  Fort  Sumter  there  seemed  to  be  a  suspension  of  the 
work  hitherto  pushed  with  such  activity  around  them.  The  guns 
and  material  landed  on  the  beach  near  Cummings  Point  remained 
for  some  days  undisturbed,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  cessation  of 
the  work  on  the  mortar  battery  at  Fort  Johnson.  Within  the  work, 
the  engineer  operations  were  confined  "to  the  collection  and 
counting  of  materials,  the  clearing  of  the  parade  of  the  stone  slabs 
and  temporary  structures  that  encumbered  it,  and  in  perfecting  the 
arrangements  of  the  batteries  of  the  first  and  third  tier."  On  the 
3ist  of  March,  the  provisions  of  the  engineer  force  being  exhaus- 
ted, it  was  proposed  to  discharge  all  of  the  laborers  except 
enough  to  man  one  of  the  boats.  The  armament  and  condition 
of  the  fort,  the  supply  of  provisions,  the  number  and  extent  of 
the  batteries  and  works  around  him,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained 
by  him,  as  well  as  a  careful  estimate  of  the  force  necessary,  in  the 
judgment  of  himself  and  his  officers,  to  relieve  the  work,  had 
been  communicated  to  Washington  by  Major  Anderson,  who,  con- 
firmed in  his  anticipations  by  the  visit  and  statements  of  Lamon, 

*  Governor's  Message,  November,  1861. 


BA  TTERIES  FIRE  UPON  AN  ICE  SCHOONER.  375 

as  well  as  by  the  reports  and  statements  of  the  public  prints  and 
the  telegrams  of  the  Commissioner,  looked  forward  to  his  promised 
return  and  to  the  immediate  withdrawal  of  his  command.  But 
the  days  passed  without  any  official  action  in  regard  to  such 
determination,  and  his  position  became  daily  more  embarrassing. 
There  were  constantly  recurring  causes  of  irritability  if  not  of 
danger. 

It  was  now  the  ist  of  April,  and  he  had  reported  everything 
quiet  around  him.  He  had  not  made  frequent  mention  of  the 
question  of  rations,  as  he  had  kept  the  Department  fully  informed 
of  the  state  of  his  supplies,  and  on  the  27th  of  January  a 
detailed  statement  had  been  sent  on,"  from  which  any  one  in  the 
Commissary  Department  could  have  told  the  exact  amount  on 
hand  at  any  given  time."  Meantime,  positive  orders  had  come 
from  Montgomery  that  no  one  should  be  permitted  to  leave  Fort 
Sumter,  unless  all  went.  This  rendered  it  necessary  to  turn  over 
to  the  Engineer  Department  provisions  for  the  use  of  their  men, 
which  greatly  reduced  the  amount  on  hand.  Had  the  laborers 
been  permitted  to  leave  the  fort,  the  amount  of  rations  on  hand 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  last  one  week  from  April  i.  On 
the  3d  notice  was  sent  to  him  by  the  authorities  at  Charleston 
that  certain  minor  articles  he  required  could  not  be  permitted  to 
go  to  him,  and  he  feared  that  the  intention  was  to  stop  his  sup- 
plies altogether;  and  he  earnestly  asks  for  instructions  as  to  his 
course  when  his  provisions  were  exhausted,  as  his  bread  would 
last  but  four  or  five  days  longer.  On  the  same  day  the  garrison 
was  startled  by  the  sound  of  firing  from  the  batteries  bearing 
upon  the  entrance  into  the  harbor.  A  small  schooner,  mistaking  the 
harbor  for  that  of  Savannah,  had  attempted  to  enter,  having  failed 
to  secure  a  pilot.  She  had  crossed  the  bar  and  was  coming  up 
the  harbor,  and  was  passing  Morris  Island,  when  a  shot  was  fired 
across  her  bow.  She  at  once  ran  the  United  States  flag  to  her 
peak,  when  two  more  shots  were  fired  across  her  bow,  and  stand- 
ing on  her  course,  the  batteries  in  range  opened  on  her.  The 
firing  was  wild  and  unskillful,  and  continued  while  she  was  in 
range.  One  shot  only  went  through  her  mainsail  above  the  boom, 
when  she  turned,  lowered  her  flag,  and  went  out  to  the  bar. 
Within  the  fort  the  greatest  excitement  prevailed.  The  long  roll 
was  beaten,  and  the  men  manned  the  guns  ;  the  battery  in  the 
northeast  angle  of  the  work  was  made  ready,  and  Lieutenant 


3/6 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


Davis  had  reported  himself  in  readiness  to  open  fire.  Again 
Major  Anderson  assembled  his  officers,  and  consulted  with  them 
as  to  what  should  be  done.  Five  of  them  (Doubleday,  Foster, 
Crawford,  Davis,  and  Hall)  were  in  favor  of  an  immediate  reply 
to  the  batteries.  Three  (Seymour,  Snyder  and  Meade)  advised 
that  we  should  delay  firing,  and  should  send  to  the  island  and  ask 
the  authorities  in  regard  to  their  action,  and  also,  that  we  should 
send  to  the  schooner  and  learn  her  purpose.  She  had  now 
anchored  just  beyond  the  range  of  the  batteries.  The  latter 
course  was  adopted  by  Major  Anderson,  who  at  once  despatched 
two  of  his  officers  to  the  commanding  officer  on  Morris  Island, 
while  the  men  remained  at  the  guns.  The  officers  were  met 
upon  landing  by  a  sentinel,  and  the  commanding  officer  soon 
made  his  appearance.  He  had,  he  said,  simply  carried  out  his 
orders,  which  were  to  fire  upon  any  vessel  carrying  the  United 
States  flag  that  attempted  to  enter  the  harbor  after  being  warned 
by  a  shot  fired  across  her  bow,  which  this  vessel  had  done  when 
she  was  fired  into.  The  officers  then  visited  the  schooner,  and 
they  found  from  the  statement  of  the  captain  that  she  was  the 
Rhoda  B.  Shannon,  of  Boston,  with  a  cargo  of  ice  for  Savannah. 
The  weather  was  bad,  and  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  his  reckon- 
ing; and  he  supposed  that  he  was  entering  that  harbor,  and 
that  when  the  first  shot  was  fired  across  him,  he  hoisted  his  flag, 
as  he  supposed  the  shot  was  fired  for  that  purpose.  He  had 
endeavored  to  secure  a  pilot  by  displaying  his  flag,  but  had  failed. 
The  captain  had  an  imperfect  idea  of  the  condition  of  things, 
and  appeared  incompetent  to  any  action.  The  Governor  of  the 
State  and  the  general  in  command  witnessed  the  whole  proceed- 
ing from  Sullivan's  Island. 

Despatches  were  at  once  prepared  by  Major  Anderson,  who 
again  assembled  his  officers,  on  the  4th  of  April,  and  announced 
his  intention  to  send  an  officer  to  Washington.  Lieutenant  Talbot 
had  meantime  been  promoted  to  the  Adjutant-General's  Depart- 
ment, and  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  join  his  post.  Major  Ander- 
son had  determined,  therefore,  to  send  him  with  his  despatches  to 
Washington.  In  his  consultation  with  the  officers  he  made  known 
to  them,  for  the  first  time,  the  instructions  he  had  previously 
received  from  Washington  of  January  10  and  February  23,  in 
which  he  was  earnestly  directed  to  act  strictly  upon  the  defensive, 
and  to  avoid  any  collision  by  all  means  consistent  with  his  safety. 


IMPOR  TA  NT  DESPA  TCH  OF  COMMIS.  CRA  WFORD.     377 

This  he  regarded  as  the  qualifying  clause  which  would  justify 
him  in  not  opening  his  batteries.  Captain  Talbot,  accompanied 
by  Lieutenant  Snyder,  who  was  sent  under  a  white  flag  to  the 
Governor  to  give  them  a  detail  of  the  statement  of  the  captain 
of  the  schooner,  proceeded  to  Charleston.  General  Beauregard 
was  present  at  the  interview.  The  Governor  replied,  in  response 
to  Lieutenant  Snyder' s  statement,  that  the  commandant  of  the 
vessel  whose  duty  was  to  warn  vessels  off  the  harbor,  had  left  his 
post  on  account  of  rough  weather,  and  would  be  dismissed,  and 
that  peremptory  orders  had  been  sent  to  stop  the  random  firing. 
The  Governor  adhered  to  the  promise  given,  and  the  captain  in 
charge  of  the  guard-boat  Petrel  was  dismissed. 

It  was  at  this  interview  that  the  Governor  informed  Lieuten- 
ant Snyder  of  the  despatch  of  Commissioner  M.  J,  Crawford,  on  the 
ist  of  April,  from  Washington  ;  that  no  attempt  would  be  made 
to  reinforce  Fort  Sumter  with  men  or  provisions,  and  that  the 
President  intended  to  shift  the  responsibility  upon  Major  Ander- 
son by  suffering  him  to  be  starved  out. 

Objection  was  made  to  the  mission  of  Captain  Talbot,  but 
upon  examining  the  orders  of  his  War  Department,  the  Confed- 
erate general  concluded  that  they  referred  more  especially  to  the 
engineer  laborers  and  enlisted  men,  and  Captain  Talbot  was 
permitted  to  depart.  The  authorities  at  Montgomery  did  not  so 
construe  the  orders  given,  which  were  intended  to  cover  the  entire 
command  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  an  explanation  was  asked.  It  was 
answered  by  the  commanding  general,  that  Lieutenant  Talbot 
was  allowed  to  go  in  order  to  diminish  the  number  of  officers  in 
Sumter,  and  with  the  hope  that  he  would  report  the  true  condi- 
tion of  things,  which  Governor  Pickens  and  himself  had  reason  to 
believe  was  not  satisfactory  to  them. 

The  despatch  of  Major  Anderson  to  his  Government  was 
important,  as  it  enabled  him  to  define  distinctly  his  position  at 
the  time.  In  his  letter  of  April  4  he  encloses  the  report  made 
on  the  3d  instant,  by  Captain  Seymour  and  Lieutenant  Snyder,  in 
regard  to  the  firing  upon  the  schooner,  and  then  informs  the 
Department  that  he  had  been  under  the  belief  that  he  would 
shortly  receive  orders  to  abandon  the  fort,  and  that  this  was  con- 
firmed by  what  Colonel  Lamon  had  said  to  him,  as  well  as  from 
other  sources.  That  he  had  concealed  some  of  his  guns  by  plank- 
ing, and  that  when  he  was  prepared  to  use  them,  the  firing  was 


378  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

over.  And  that  in  accordance  with  his  orders  of  February  23, 
he  determined  not  to  open  fire  until  he  had  "investigated  the 
circumstances."  With  scanty  ammunition,  with  provisions  for  a 
few  days  only,  a  collision  with  the  superior  force  around  him 
would  have  probably  terminated  in  his  destruction  before  relief 
could  reach  him  ;  and  in  hourly  expectation  of  receiving  definite 
instructions,  and  bound,  too,  as  he  considered  himself  to  be,  by  his 
explicit  and  peremptory  orders,  he  deeply  regretted  that  he  did  not 
feel  himself  at  liberty  to  resent  the  insult  to  his  flag.  The  con- 
viction that  the  command  was  to  be  withdrawn  was  so  assured  in 
their  minds  at  this  time,  that  although  it  did  not  operate  to  sus- 
pend the  preparations  for  the  defense  of  the  work,  the  mode  of  its 
accomplishment  largely  engaged  the  attention  and  thought  of  the 
garrison  and  its  commander. 

He  blamed  the  State  authorities  for  not  communicating 
instructions  to  vessels  desiring  to  enter  the  harbor,  and  he  sends 
Captain  Talbot  to  give  the  Department  an  opportunity  to  modify 
their  orders  to  him,  if  it  were  deemed  proper  to  do  so;  and  he 
would  "delay  obedience  thereto"  until  Captain  Talbot  should 
report  and  he  should  receive  a  telegram  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, to  which  he  thus  wrote: 

"FoRT  SUMTER,  S.  C.,  April  4,  1861. 

"  (Received  A.  G    O.,  April  6.) 
1  Col.  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General  U.  S.  Army: 

"  Colonel:  I  have  the  honor  to  send  herewith  a  report  of  the 
circumstances  attending  a  firing  yesterday  afternoon  by  the  bat- 
teries on  Morris  Island  at  a  schooner  bearing  our  flag,  bound 
from  Boston  to  Savannah,  which,  erroneously  mistaking  the  light- 
house off  this  harbor  for  that  of  Tybee,  and  having  failed  to  get 
a  pilot,  was  entering  the  harbor. 

"  The  remarks  made  to  me  by  Colonel  Lamon,  taken  in  con- 
nection with  the  tenor  of  newspaper  articles,  have  induced  me,  as 
stated  in  previous  communications,  to  believe  that  orders  would 
soon  be  issued  for  my  abandoning  this  work.  When  the  firing 
commenced  some  of  my  heaviest  guns  were  concealed  from  their 
view  by  planking,  and  by  the  time  the  battery  was  ready  the  firing 
had  ceased.  I  then,  acting  in  strict  accordance  with  the  spirit  and 
wording  of  the  orders  of  the  War  Department,  as  communicated 
to  me  in  the  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  War  dated  February  23, 
1 86 1,  determined  not  to  commence  firing  until  I  had  sent  to  the 
vessel  and  investigated  the  circumstances. 

"  The  accompanying  report  presents  them.  Invested  by  a 
force  so  superior  that  a  collision  would,  in  all  probability,  termi- 


REPORT  OF  MAJOR  ANDERSON.  379 

nate  in  the  destruction  of  our  force  before  relief  could  reach  us, 
with  only  a  few  days'  provisions  on  hand,  and  with  a  scanty  sup- 
ply of  ammunition,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  reference  to  my  letter  of 
February  27,  in  hourly  expectation  of  receiving  definite  instruc- 
tions from  the  War  Department,  and  with  orders  so  explicit  and 
peremptory  as  those  I  am  acting  under,  I  deeply  regret  that  I  did 
not  feel  myself  at  liberty  to  resent  the  insult  thus  offered  to  the 
flag  of  my  beloved  country. 

"I  think  that  proper  notification  should  be  given  to  our 
merchant  vessels  of  the  rigid  instructions  under  which  the  com- 
manders of  these  batteries  are  acting;  that  they  should  be  noti- 
fied that  they  must,  as  soon  as  a  shot  is  fired  ahead  of  them,  at 
once  round  to  and  communicate  with  the  batteries. 

"  The  authorities  here  are  certainly  blamable  for  not  having 
constantly  vessels  off  to  communicate  instructions  to  those  seek- 
ing entrance  into  this  harbor. 

"Captain  Talbot  is  relieved,  of  course,  by  order  No.  7,  from 
duty  at  this  post.  I  avail  myself  of  this  opportunity  of  stating 
that  he  has  been  zealous,  intelligent,  and  active  in  the  discharge  of 
all  his  duties  here,  so  far  as  his  health  permitted  him  to  attempt 
their  performance.  I  send  him  on  with  these  despatches,  to  give 
the  Department  an  opportunity,  if  deemed  proper,  to  modify,  in 
consequence  of  this  unfortunate  affair,  any  order  they  may  have 
sent  to  me.  I  will  delay  obedience  thereto  until  I  have  time  to 
receive  a  telegram  after  Captain  Talbot' s  having  reported  to  the 
War  Department. 

"I  am  Colonel,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"Major,  First  Artillery,  Commanding." 

[Inclosure.] 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  April  3,  1861. 
"  Maj.  ROBERT  ANDERSON,  First  Artillery,  U.  S.  Army, 

"  Commanding  Fort  Sumter,  Charleston  Harbor: 

"  MAJOR:  In  obedience  to  your  directions,  we  visited  Cum- 
mings  Point,  and  the  schooner  bearing  the  United  States  flag, 
which  was  fired  into  by  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island,  and 
respectfully  present  the  following  statement  concerning  the  affair: 

"The  commanding  officer  on  Morris  Island,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  W.  G.  De  Saussure,  stated  that  a  schooner  with  the 
United  States  flag  at  her  peak  endeavored  to  enter  the  harbor 
this  afternoon  about  3  o'clock;  that  in  accordance  with  his 
orders  to  prevent  any  vessel  under  that  flag  from  entering  the 
harbor,  he  had  fired  three  shots  across  her  bows,  and  this  not 
causing  her  to  heave  to,  he  had  fired  at  her,  and  had  driven  her 
out  of  the  harbor;  that  he  thought  one  or  two  shots  had  taken 
effect,  and  that  if  he  had  a  boat  that  could  live  to  get  out  to  her 
he  would  send  and  see  if  she  were  disabled,  and  inform  Major 


380  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Anderson  at  once,  but  that  he  had  no  proper  boat,  as  the  schooner 
was  at  anchor  in  a  very  rough  place;  that  the  revenue  cutter  had 
gone  out  to  examine  her  condition.  We  ascertained  the  schooner 
to  be  the  Rhoda  B.  Shannon.  Joseph  Marts,  master,  of  Dor- 
chester, N.  J.,  bound  from  Boston  to  Savannah  with  a  cargo  of 
ice,  having  left  the  former  place  on  March  26.  On  account  of 
unfavorable  weather,  the  master  had  obtained  but  one  observa- 
tion, and  that  was  an  imperfect  one  on  yesterday.  On  his  arrival 
off  Charleston  Bar,  supposing  himself  to  be  off  Tybee,  and  seeing 
a  pilot-boat,  he  directed  one  of  his  men  to  hold  the  United 
States  flag  in  the  fore  rigging  as  a  signal  for  a  pilot.  As  none 
came,  the  flag  was  taken  down  in  a  few  minutes,  and  the  master 
undertook  to  bring  his  vessel  into  the  harbor  without  a  pilot.  He 
did  not  discover  that  he  was  not  in  Savannah  Harbor  until  he  had 
crossed  the  bar  and  had  advanced  some  distance  in  the  harbor. 
As  he  was  passing  Morris  Island,  displaying  no  flag,  a  shot  was 
fired  from  a  battery  on  shore  across  the  bows  of  the  schooner. 
The  master  states  that  he  thought  they  wished  him  to  show  his 
colors,  and  that  he  displayed  the  United  States  flag  at  his  peak. 
One  or  two  shots  were  then  fired  across  the  schooner's  bows,  but 
he  did  not  know  what  to  do  or  what  the  people  on  shore  wished 
him  to  do;  that  he  kept  the  vessel  on  her  course  until  they  fired 
at  her,  and  one  shot  had  gone  through  the  mainsail,  about  two 
feet  above  the  boom,  when  he  put  her  about  and  stood  out  to 
sea,  anchoring  his  vessel  in  the  Swash  Channel,  just  inside  of  the 
bar;  that  the  batteries  kept  on  firing  at  his  vessel  for  some  time 
after  he  had  turned  to  go  out  to  sea. 

"  The  master  of  the  schooner  stated  that  before  leaving  Bos- 
ton, he  had  learned  how  affairs  stood  in  Charleston  Harbor,  and 
that  Fort  Sumter  was  to  be  given  up  in  a  few  days;  that  they 
had  established  a  new  confederacy  down  South. 

"After  satisfying  ourselves  that  the  vessel  was  uninjured,  and 
as  she  was  lying  in  a  very  rough  place,  we  advised  the  master  to 
move  his  vessel — either  to  stand  out  to  sea  and  go  on  to  Savan- 
nah, or  to  come  into  the  harbor  and  anchor. 

"  On  our  return  we  stopped  at  Cummings  Point,  and  stated 
the  facts  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  De  Saussure.  He  said  that  the 
vessel  would  not  be  molested  if  she  came  into  the  harbor. 

"  The  schooner  weighed  anchor  a  short  time  after  we  left, 
and  stood  in  towards  Morris  Island  for  some  distance,  but  finally 
turned  about  and  went  to  sea. 

"  Respectfully  submitted. 

"T.  SEYMOUR,   Captain,  First  Artillery. 
"G.  VV.  SNYDER,  Lieutenant  of  Engineers." 

But  the  causes  of  irritation  continued  to  increase.  A  revenue 
cutter  came  to  anchor  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  work  and 
the  daily  boat  from  the  fort  to  Fort  Johnson  for  the  mails  and 


INCREASING  CAUSES  OF  IRRITATION.  381 

provisions  was  stopped  by  the  officer  in  command  of  the  cutter 
and  obliged  to  display  a  white  flag,  stating  that  such  were  his 
orders.  This  had  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  Governor 
by  Lieutenant  Snyder  in  his  interview,  by  direction  ot  Major 
Anderson,  who  at  the  same  time  addressed  a  communication  to 
the  Confederate  general,  expressing  his  disbelief  that  any  such 
orders  had  been  given  by  him.  The  letter  was  friendly  and  per- 
sonal. He  was  unwilling,  he  said,  that  his  officers  should  leave 
the  fort,  as  they  hoped  to  do  in  a  few  days,  under  such  an  impres- 
sion; that  he  had  never  regarded  himself  as  being  in  a  hostile 
attitude  towards  the  inhabitants  of  South  Carolina,  and  had  been 
very  particular  in  his  intercourse  with  them,  treating  all  with 
civility  and  courtesy.  But  this  was  not  the  only  cause  of  com- 
plaint. A  mortar  battery  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  practicing  for  range 
had  exploded  shells  so  near  to  the  work  as  to  endanger  its 
occupants.  This  too  was  made  the  subject  of  a  remonstrance  by 
Major  Anderson.  In  reporting  the  location  of  this  battery,  not 
before  known  to  him,  the  engineer  officer  reported  to  his  chief 
that  this  battery,  in  connection  with  the  other  mortar  batteries 
reported  on  the  islands,  would  reach  by  their  shells  every  part  of 
the  fort. 

Both  the  Governor  and  the  general  in  command  disclaimed 
any  knowledge  of  the  authority  exercised  by  the  cutter,  as  far  as 
the  mail  boat  was  concerned.  Soon  after,  the  cutter  was  removed 
to  a  greater  distance  and  the  firing  from  the  mortar  battery  was 
not  renewed.  The  firing  of  the  battery  was  made  the  subject  of 
a  communication  to  his  Government  by  Major  Anderson,  who 
urged  that  "  the  truth  is  that  the  sooner  we  are  out  of  this  harbor 
the  better.  Our  flag  runs  an  hourly  risk  of  being  insulted,  and 
my  hands  are  tied  by  my  orders,  and  if  that  was  not  the  case  I 
have  not  the  power  to  protect  it."*  There  was  marked  depression 
among  the  officers,  with  constant  reference  to,  and  condemnation 
of,  the  failure  to  fire  upon  the  batteries  that  had  opened  upon  the 
schooner.  An  increased  nervous  sensibility  was  observable,  which 
manifested  itself  in  various  ways.  Increased  vigilance  upon  the 
part  of  the  guard-boats  protecting  the  channel  was  now  mani- 
fested and  a  large  force  put  to  work  upon  the  batteries  at  Cum- 
mings  Point,  and  the  garrisons  of  the  works  around  reinforced. 


*  Anderson  to  War  Department,  April  6,  1861.     "  War  of  the  Rebellion." 


382  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

On  the  yth,  the  supply  of  provisions  to  the  fort  was  stopped  by 
orders  from  Montgomery.  The  mails,  however,  were  still  per- 
mitted to  come,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  an  important 
communication  from  the  Secretary  of  War  was  received  by  Major 
Anderson,  informing  him  for  the  first  time  of  the  purpose  of  the 
Government  in  regard  to  him  and  his  command.  He  was  to  be 
provisioned  peaceably  if  possible,  if  not,  an  effort  to  provision 
and  reinforce  him  was  to  be  made,  and  he  was  to  hold  out,  if 
possible,  to  a  specified  time  and  await  the  expedition  for  his  relief. 
Confidence  that  he  would  act  as  a  patriot  and  a  soldier  was 
expressed  by  the  Secretary,  who  at  the  same  time  authorized  a 
capitulation  should  it  become  a  necessity.  Upon  the  subject- 
matter  of  the  despatch,  Major  Anderson  was  silent.  He  was 
deeply  affected  by  it.  The  letter  was  as  follows: 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  4,   l86l. 

"  Major  ROBERT  ANDERSON,  U.  S.  Army  : 

"  Sir:  Your  letter  of  the  ist  instant  occasions  some  anxiety 
to  the  President. 

"  On  the  information  of  Captain  Fox  he  had  supposed  you 
could  hold  out  till  the  isth  instant  without  any  great  inconven- 
ience; and  had  prepared  an  expedition  to  relieve  you  before  that 
period. 

"  Hoping  still  that  you  will  be  able  to  sustain  yourself  till  the 
nth  or  lath  instant,  the  expedition  will  go  forward  ;  and,  finding 
your  flag  flying,  will  attempt  to  provision  you,  and,  in  case  the 
effort  is  resisted,  will  endeavor  also  to  re-enforce  you. 

"You  will  therefore  hold  out,  if  possible,  till  the  arrival  of 
the  expedition. 

"  It  is  not,  however,  the  intention  of  the  President  to  subject 
your  command  to  any  danger  or  hardship  beyond  what,  in  your 
judgment,  would  be  usual  in  military  life;  and  he  has  entire  con- 
fidence that  you  will  act  as  becomes  a  patriot  and  soldier,  under 
all  circumstances. 

"  Whenever,  if  at  all,  in  your  judgment,  to  save  yourself  and 
command,  a  capitulation  becomes  a  necessity,  you  are  authorized 
to  make  it. 

"  Respectfully, 

"  SIMON  CAMERON, 

"  Secretary  of  War" 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  by  the  destruction  of  a  house 
which  had  hitherto  wholly  concealed  it,  a  battery  of  four  heavy 
guns,  well  constructed,  with  sod  revetments,  was  unmasked 


SEIZURE  OF  THE  MAILS.  383 

at  the  upper  end  of  Sullivan's  Island.  From  its  position,  it  could 
"  enfilade  the  terrepleins  of  both  flanks  of  the  work,"  and  would 
command  by  its  fire  the  only  anchorage  near  the  fort  that  was 
practicable,  that  upon  the  left  flank  of  the  work.  The  discovery 
of  this  battery  produced  a  marked  and  depressing  effect  upon 
Major  Anderson.  He  seemed  nervous  and  anxious.  He  thought 
that  its  fire,  taking  in  reverse  and  enfilading  his  most  efficient 
battery,  the  one  that  he  depended  upon  to  silence  the  breaching 
battery  at  Cummings  Point,  would,  independent  of  the  "  shower 
of  shells  "  upon  him,  render  it  impossible  for  his  men  to  serve  the 
guns.  Some  of  the  officers  also  seemed  to  share  in  this  feeling, 
and  there  was  a  general  depression  in  regard  to  it. 

It  was  necessary  to  make  provision  at  once,  as  far  as  the  now 
almost  exhausted  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  garrison  would 
allow,  to  meet  this  new  condition  of  things.  The  engineers  were 
promptly  at  work,  and  a  traverse  composed  of  a  double  curb  of 
boards  and  scantling  and  filled  in  with  earth  in  the  absence  of 
sand-bags,  hoisted  from  the  parade,  was  built  upon  the  parapet  to 
protect  the  guns  and  the  important  battery  on  the  right  flank. 
"  Ladders  and  runways  "  to  facilitate  the  reception  of  supplies 
were  prepared,  and  one  of  the  embrasures  enlarged  so  as  to 
admit  a  barrel.  Openings  were  made  in  the  walls  of  the  officers' 
quarters  so  as  to  allow  the  freest  communication  from  flank  to 
flank.  To  protect  the  main  gates  more  efficiently  from  the  fire 
from  Cummings  Point,  a  heavy  traverse  was  commenced,  and 
some  modification  made  by  cutting  the  embrasures  so  as  to  allow 
the  heavy  guns  on  the  right  flank  of  the  gorge  to  be  used  against 
the  batteries  at  Cummings  Point. 

Upon  the  8th,  what  had  been  before  contemplated  was  now 
put  into  execution.  The  authorities  at  Charleston  seized  and 
opened  the  mails  from  Fort  Sumter.  Late  on  the  previous  day 
(8  P.  M.)  a  notice  was  sent  by  the  Confederate  general  to  Major 
Anderson  informing  him  that  until  further  instructions  from  the 
Confederate  Government,  "  no  mails  would  be  allowed  to  go  to 
or  come  from  Fort  Sumter."  The  fort  was  to  be  "completely 
isolated."  Anderson  at  once  took  alarm,  and  wrote  requesting 
that  the  mails  sent  previously  to  the  notification  he  had  received 
should  be  returned  to  him,  and  he  confidently  hoped  that  his 
request  might  be  complied  with. 

But  this  was  not  done,  and  he  was  informed  by  the  Confeder- 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

ate  general  that  while  the  private  letters  were  sent  to  their  desti- 
nation, those  that  were  "  official  "  were  sent  to  the  Confederate 
Government,  in  return  for  "the  treachery  of  Captain  Fox,"  who 
was  reported  as  having  violated  his  word  to  Governor  Pickens. 

The  same  accusation  was  made  by  Governor  Pickens  in  a 
communication  to  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States,  and 
who  also  informed  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War  that  he  had 
seized  the  mails  because  he  considered  that  a  state  of  war  had  been 
"  inaugurated  by  the  authorities  at  Washington,"  and  that  "  all 
information  of  a  public  nature  "  was  necessary  to  them.  "  You 
will  see,"  said  he,  "by  these  letters  how  it  is  intended  to  supply 
the  fort." 

On  the  8th,  the  stoppage  of  the  mails  for  Fort  Sumter  had 
been  determined  upon,  and  Anderson  was  so  informed.  Judge 
Magrath  had  been  sent  to  Postmaster  Huger  to  tell  him  that  the 
Governor  had  determined  to  seize  the  mail.* 

Among  the  letters  thus  seized  were  two  from  Major  Ander- 
son, and  one  from  the  engineer  officer  to  the  Government. 
Their  contents  were  of  the  highest  importance,  as  they  made 
known  to  the  Confederate  authorities  not  only  what  was  being 
then  done  as  to  the  defenses  of  the  work,  but  revealed  to  them 
the  personal  sentiments  of  Major  Anderson.  His  despatch  was 
in  response  to  the  communication  of  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the 
4th  inst,  and  was  as  follows: 

No.  96.]  "FORT  SJMTER,  S.  C,  April  8,  1861. 

"  Col.  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General  U.  S.  Army: 
"  COLONEL:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  the  resumption  of 

*  A  staff-officer  of  the  Governor  was  sent  to  the  postmaster  on  the  gth  of  April 
demanding  their  delivery  to  him.  The  bag  containing  Major  Anderson's  mail 
was  handed  to  him  and  taken  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Government.  The  bag 
was  thrown  upon  the  table  around  which  sat  the  Governor's  advisers,  including 
the  Governor  himself  and  also  General  Beauregard.  It  was  opened,  and  passed 
over  to  Judge  Magrath  to  examine.  This  he  declined,  saying,  "  No,  I  have  too 
recently  been  a  United  States'  Judge,  and  have  been  in  the  habit  of  sentencing 
people  to  the  penitentiary  for  this  sort  of  thing,  so,  Governor,  let  General  Beaure- 
gard open  them."  General  Beauregard  replied,  "Certainly  not ;  Governor,  you 
are  the  proper  person  to  open  these  letters."  Governor  Pickens  then  took  up  one 
of  the  letters  in  an  official  envelope,  turned  it  over  nervously,  saying,  "  Well,  if 
you  are  all  so  fastidious  about  it,  give  them  to  me. " 

He  held  the  letter  for  some  time,  when  Judge  Magrath  said,  "Go  ahead, 
Governor,  open  it."  The  Governor  then  tore  open  the  letter  so  nervously 
as  almost  to  destroy  it.  Nothing  but  the  official  mail  was  opened.  Private  let- 
ters were  not  disturbed,  but  sent  to  their  destination.  A  private  letter  directed 
to  Mrs.  Anderson  was  opened,  for  the  reason  that  it  had  an  official  backing  ; 
when  its  character  was  recognized,  it  was  at  once  closed. 


ANDERSON'S  OPINION  OF  FOX'S  PLAN.  385 

work  yesterday  (Sunday)  at  various  points  on  Morris  Island,  and 
the  vigorous  prosecution  of  it  this  morning,  apparently  strengthen- 
ing nearly  all  the  batteries  which  are  under  the  fire  of  our  guns, 
shows  that  they  either  have  received  some  news  from  Washing- 
ton which  has  put  them  on  the  qui  vive,  or  that  they  have  received 
orders  from  Montgomery  to  commence  operations  here.  I  am 
preparing  by  the  side  of  my  barbette  guns  protection  for  our  men 
from  the  shells,  which  will  be  almost  continuously  bursting  over 
or  in  our  work. 

"  I  had  the  honor  to  receive  by  yesterday's  mail  the  letter  of 
the  honorable  Secretary  of  War,  dated  April  4,  and  confess  that 
what  he  there  states  surprises  me  very  greatly,  following  as  it  does 
and  contradicting  so  positively  the  assurance  Mr.  Crawford  tele- 
graphed he  was  authorized  to  make.  I  trust  that  this  matter  will 
be  at  once  put  in  a  correct  light,  as  a  movement  made  now,  when 
the  South  has  been  erroneously  informed  that  none  such  will  be 
attempted,  would  produce  most  disastrous  results  throughout  our 
country. 

"  It  is,  of  course,  now  too  late  for  me  to  give  any  advice  in 
reference  to  the  proposed  scheme  of  Captain  Fox.  I  fear  that 
its  result  cannot  fail  to  be  disastrous  to  all  concerned.  Even 
with  his  boat  at  our  walls  the  loss  of  life  (as  I  think  I  mentioned 
to  Mr.  Fox)  in  unloading  her  will  more  than  pay  for  the  good  to 
be  accomplished  by  the  expedition,  which  keeps  us,  if  I  can  main- 
tain possession  of  this  work,  out  of  position,  surrounded  by  strong 
works,  which  must  be  carried  to  make  this  fort  of  the  least  value 
to  the  United  States  Government. 

We  have  not  oil  enough  to  keep  a  light  in  the  lantern  for  one 
night.  The  boats  will  have,  therefore,  to  rely  at  night  entirely 
upon  other  marks.  I  ought  to  have  been  informed  that  this 
expedition  was  to  come.  Colonel  Lamon's  remark  convinced  me 
that  the  idea,  merely  hinted  at  to  me  by  Captain  Fox,  would  not 
be  carried  out.  We  shall  strive  to  do  our  duty,  though  I  frankly 
say  that  my  heart  is  not  in  the  war  which  I  see  is  to  be  thus  com- 
menced. That  God  will  still  avert  it,  and  cause  us  to  resort  to 
pacific  measures  to  maintain  our  rights,  is  my  ardent  prayer. 
"  I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"Major,  First  Artillery,   Commanding" 

[Inclosure  No.   i.] 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C.  April  8,  1861. 
"General  JOSEPH  G.  TOTTEN, 

"  Chief  Engineer  U.   S.  Army,    Washington,  D.   C.: 
"GENERAL:  The  increased  activity  and  vigilance  of  the  invest- 
ing force,   as  reported   yesterday,   still  continues.     Three  large 
traverses  are  nearly  completed  on  the  front,  from  battery  Nos.  3  to 
5,  on  Morris  Island,  and  traverses  are  also  being  erected  in  the 


3 86  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIYIL  WAR. 

interior  of  battery  No.  5.  Additions  of  sand-bags  are  being  made 
to  the  covering  of  the  magazine,  between  Nos.  2  and  3,  and  to 
the  left  flank  of  No.  i,  where  I  think  they  are  constructing  a  serv- 
ice magazine. 

"  I  am  busily  at  work  constructing  splinter-proof  shelters  on 
the  terreplein.  I  obtain  timber  by  taking  the  gun-carriages  to 
pieces,  and  form  the  covering  of  the  2-inch  iron  pieces  for 
embrasures,  as  seen  below.  The  plates  are  spiked  on,  so  as  to  be 
securely  retained  in  their  places,  even  if  struck  by  a  shell,  which 
I  am  confident  it  will  turn. 

"Our  supplies  are  entirely  cut  off  from  the  city,  and  those  on 
hand  are  very  limited. 

"  The  besieging  forces  worked  all  day  yesterday,  whenever  the 
intervals  between  the  showers  of  rain  would  allow. 

"  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  J.  G.  FOSTER,  Captain  Engineers. 

"  P.  S. — I  received  yesterday  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  War 
to  Major  Anderson,   which,  by  mistake,  had  been  enveloped  to 
me.     I  handed  it  to  Major  Anderson  without  reading. 
"  Respectfully,  &c., 

"  J.  G.  FOSTER,  Captain  Engineers." 

[Inclosure  No.  2.] 
"Col.  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General : 

"  DEAR  COLONEL  :  In  another  envelope  I  shall  send  a  No.  96, 
which  you  will  be  pleased  to  destroy. 

"  That  God  will  preserve  our  beloved  country,  is  the  heartfelt 
prayer  of  your  friend,  "R.  A." 

It  was  upon  the  expressions  of  this  letter  that  the  allegations 
against  Captain  Fox  were  based,  and  upon  them  their  action  in 
regard  to  the  mails  was  taken. 

Captain  Fox  was  ignorant  of  any  guarantee  or  pledge  made  by 
Captain  Hartstene  on  his  account.  He  had  told  Captain  Hartstene, 
as  before  stated,  of  his  desire  to  visit  Sumter  to  learn  its  condi- 
tion and  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  the  provisions  ;  and  whatever 
guarantee  that  officer  may  have  given,  or  promise  made,  was 
unknown  to  him.  His  plan  for  the  relief  of  the  work  had  long 
been  known,  and  its  execution  was  only  suspended.  No  necessity 
for  making  any  arrangement  with  Anderson  existed,  nor  was  any 
plan  suggested  to  him.  The  basis  of  the  accusation  made  against 
Captain  Fox  rests  solely  upon  the  statements  in  Major  Anderson's 
letter  of  the  8th  of  April,  which  was  seized  and  opened  by  the 
State  authorities  on  the  9th.  This  letter,  as  has  been  stated,  was 
a  reply  to  the  communication  of  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  4th 


GOVERNOR'S  STATEMENT  REGARDING  CAP.  FOX.    387 

of  April,  that  the  President,  upon  the  information  of  Captain  Fox, 
had  supposed  that  Major  Anderson  could  hold  out  until  the  i5th 
instant,  and  had  prepared  an  expedition  to  relieve  him.  Captain 
Fox's  plan,  long  in  abeyance,  had  finally  been  determined  upon, 
and  it  was  the  carrying  out  of  this  "  proposed  scheme  "  whose 
results  he  feared.  It  was  the  proposal  of  Captain  Fox,  not  origi- 
nated or  agreed  upon  at  the  time  of  his  visit  to  Fort  Sumter,  but 
long  before  submitted  to  the  Government,  and  now  adopted  by 
them. 

In  his  message  to  the  Legislature  of  South  Carolina  at  the 
extra  session  of  November,  1861,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  in 
reference  to  his  visit,  stated  that  Captain  Fox  said  that  he  desired 
to  visit  Fort  Sumter,  and  that  his  objects  were  "  entirely  pacific." 

"  Upon  the  guarantee  of  the  officer  introducing  him,  Captain 
Hartstene,  he  was  permitted  to  visit  Major  Anderson  in  company 
with  him,  expressly  upon  the  pledge  of  pacific  purpose.  Not- 
withstanding this,  he  actually  reported  a  plan  for  the  reinforce- 
ment of  the  garrison  by  force,  which  was  adopted.  Major 
Anderson  protested  against  it." 

The  tone  of  his  communication,  and  his  admission  that  his 
heart  was  not  in  the  war  which  was  thus  brought  on,  gave  rise  to 
severe  criticism  and  reflection  upon  Major  Anderson,  who,  con- 
scious probably  of  the  effect  it  would  produce,  had  made  the  un- 
usual request  that  his  letter  might  be  destroyed 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

South  Carolina  Convention  still  in  session — All  resolutions  referring  to  Sumter 
laid  on  the  table — Governor  requested  to  call  for  volunteers— Military  in- 
terests transferred  to  Confederate  Government — Convention  adjourns  April 
lo — Important  telegram  from  Commissioner  Crawford — Anderson  alarmed 
and  impressed  by  it — His  earnest  letter  to  his  Government — Asks  for  in- 
structions—Confederate Secretary  of  War  to  Beauregard— Conflicting  tele- 
grams from  Washington  to  Charleston — Lieutenant  Talbot  arrives  in 
Washington— President  gives  notice  to  Governor  Pickens  of  his  intention 
to  provision  Fort  Sumter,  and  to  reinforce  if  resisted —Talbot,  with  Mr. 
Chew,  of  State  Department,  goes  to  Charleston — The  notice — Read  to  Gov- 
ernor in  presence  of  Beauregard— Messengers  abrupt  return —Their  jour- 
ney impeded— Volunteers  called  for — Anderson  reports— Feeling  in  Fort 
Sumter — Floating  battery  in  position — Provisions  exhausted — Boat  with 
white  flag  approaches  the  work. 

WHILE  the  events  related  were  transpiring,  the  Convention  of 
South  Carolina  was  holding  its  session  in  the  city  of  Charleston. 
Resolutions  and  various  amendments,  all  looking  to  the  immediate 
possession  of  the  public  property  in  the  harbor,  as  well  as  rec- 
ommending an  aggressive  military  policy,  and  even  specifying 
Executive  action  in  regard  to  the  forts,  were  offered  from  time  to 
time,  and  renewed  as  events  occurred  which  seemed  to  precipitate 
action.  Propositions  were  made  instructing  the  Commissioners 
in  Washington,  and  expressing  the  sense  of  the  Convention  in 
reference  to  the  occupation  of  Fort  Sumter.  Two  days  after  the 
passage  of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  the  Committee,  at  the 
head  of  which  was  Ex-United  States  Judge  Magrath,  and  to  which 
had  been  referred  so  much  of  the  message  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  as  referred  to  the  property  of  the  United  States  in 
South  Carolina,  made  their  report.  They  held  that  the  possession 
of  places  within  the  territorial  limits  of  the  State  by  a  power  now 
in  all  its  relations  foreign,  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  safety 
and  honor  of  the  State,  and  that  the  possession  of  the  forts  should 
be  restored  to  her,  and  asserted  that  any  armament  of  them  would 
be  regarded  as  an  act  of  hostility.  Resolutions  of  inquiry  into 
the  condition  of  the  forts  were  offered,  as  well  as  instructions  to 

338 


SOUTH  CAROLINA  CONVENTION  IN  SESSION.         389 

the  Commissioners  at  Washington,  to  demand  the  delivery  of  the 
forts.  Upon  the  movement  of  Major  Anderson  to  Fort  Sumter 
a  resolution  was  offered,  to  the  effect  that  it  was  the  sense  of  the 
Convention  that  the  occupation  of  Fort  Sumter  ought  to  be  re- 
garded "  as  an  authorized  occupation  and  vigorous  military  defen- 
ses provided  immediately."  But  this,  in  common  with  all  similar 
resolutions,  was  ordered  to  lie  upon  the  table  by  a  large  majority 
of  the  Convention. 

While  propositions  expressing  the  sense  of  the  Convention  in 
favor  of  vigorous  military  preparations  and  defense  were  at  once 
adopted,  all  resolutions  or  amendments  whose  purpose  was  to 
direct  or  guide  the  Executive  or  the  Commissioners  in  Washington, 
or  in  any  way  to  assume  Executive  action,  were  promptly  laid  upon 
the  table.  But  the  disposition  to  interfere  was  constantly  mani- 
fested. The  Convention  had  adjourned  on  January  5,  to  meet 
at  the  call  of  the  President,  who  reconvened  it  on  the  26th  of 
March,  to  consider  the  new  Constitution  of  the  Confederate 
States;  and  similar  resolutions  were  again  introduced,  and  again 
laid  upon  the  table. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  session  on  the  6th  of  April,  1861, 
it  was  determined  to  inquire  and  report  what  resolutions  and 
orders  passed  in  secret  session,  and  what  portion  of  the  secret 
journal,  could  now  be  made  public.  The  resolution  was  referred 
to  the  engrossing  Committee,  who  reported  in  favor  of  remov- 
ing the  injunction  of  secrecy  and  of  the  publication  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. But  it  was  objected,  that  there  was  a  class  of  resolu- 
tions the  publication  of  which  might  give  rise  to  a  misconception 
of  the  real  views  of  the  Convention  and  a  misconstruction  of  its 
action,  and  to  these  the  attention  of  the  Convention  was  called. 
The  resolution  offered  upon  the  day  after  Major  Anderson's 
movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter  was  one  of  this 
class.  It  provided  that  it  was  the  sense  of  the  Convention  that 
the  occupation  of  Fort  Sumter  ought  to  be  regarded  as  "  an  author- 
ized occupation "  and  vigorous  military  defenses  provided  im- 
mediately. It  was  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table.  Many  similar 
resolutions  were  presented,  and  either  in  like  manner  disposed  of 
or  rejected  altogether.  And  it  had  been  suggested  that  to  pub- 
lish them  now  to  the  world  would  seem  to  imply  that  the  Con- 
vention had  failed  to  assert  the  principles  involved  in  these  reso- 
lutions or  even  denied  them,  and  had  thus  antagonized  the  action 


390 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


of  the  Commissioners  at  Washington.  The  Committee,  however, 
took  a  different  view;  they  held  that  it  was  not  the  intention  of 
the  Convention  to  express  any  opinion  as  to  the  authority  and 
character  of  Major  Anderson's  occupation,  as  neither  had  been 
affirmed  or  denied  by  the  then  administration,  and  the  whole 
question  had  been  confided  to  the  hands  of  the  Commissioners. 
This  did  not  appear  upon  the  record,  but  this  the  Committee 
suggested,  like  the  proceedings  of  all  legislative  bodies,  must  de- 
pend for  "explanation  and  vindication  upon  contemporaneous 
history."  The  injunction  of  secrecy  was  removed  and  the  pro- 
ceedings published.  On  the  8th  of  April,  a  resolution  was  offered 
in  secret  session,  as  the  opinion  of  the  Convention,  that  the  mili- 
tary posts  at  Morris  and  Sullivan's  islands  should  be  strengthened 
by  large  reinforcements,  that  the  Government  should  be  requested 
to  call  3,000  volunteers,  or  more  if  necessary,  for  the  protection 
of  the  harbor.  Amendments  were  offered  to  the  effect  that  mili- 
tary operations  in  the  harbor  should  be  placed  under  the  charge 
and  control  of  Brigadier-General  Beauregard,  and  that  the  volun- 
teers should  be  placed  at  his  disposal.  But  these  resolutions  and 
amendments  were  also  ordered  to  lie  upon  the  table,  as  well  as 
others  of  a  like  effect. 

Upon  the  same  day,  as  already  noticed,  the  Ordinance  was 
passed  transferring  to  the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States 
the  use  and  occupance  of  the  forts,  arsenals  and  public  property, 
until  by  a  convention  of  the  people  of  the  State  the  Ordinance 
should  be  repealed.  Resolutions  of  thanks  to  the  volunteers,  and 
various  officers,  as  well  as  to  General  Beauregard  and  his  assist- 
ants, and  also  a  complimentary  resolution  to  Major-General 
Twiggs,  for  his  patriotic  devotion  and  loyalty  in  resigning  his 
commission  and  turning  over  the  public  property  in  his  control  to 
the  State  of  Texas,  and  tendering  to  him  the  thanks  of  South 
Carolina  therefor,  were  passed.  On  the  loth  of  April  the  Conven- 
tion called  by  the  people  of  South  Carolina,  having  wholly  per- 
formed the  duty  required,  and  having  prepared  the  State  as  far  as 
it  was  possible  to  meet  the  issue,  adjourned  sine  die. 

Communication  between  the  Commissioners  and  friends  at 
Washington,  and  the  authorities  at  Charleston  and  Montgomery, 
was  now  frequent.  On  the  ist  of  April  Commissioner  Crawford 
transmitted  to  Governor  Pickens  the  following  important  telegram, 
which  was  forwarded  at  once  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War. 


TELEGRAM  OF  COMMISSIONER  CRA  WFORD.          39 1 

"  CHARLESTON,  S.  C.  April  i,  1861. 
"  The  HON.  L.  P.  WALKER,  Montgomery,  Ala. 

"The  following  telegram,  just  received  from  Commissioner 
Crawford:  'I  am  authorized  to  say  that  this  Government  will  not 
undertake  to  supply  Sumter  without  notice  to  you.  My  opinion 
is  that  the  President  has  not  the  courage  to  execute  the  order 
agreed  upon  in  Cabinet  for  the  evacuation  of  the  fort,  but  that 
he  intends  to  shift  the  responsibility  upon  Major  Anderson  by 
suffering  him  to  be  starved  out.  Would  it  not  be  well  to  aid  in 
this  by  cutting  off  all  supplies  ?  ' 

'CRAWFORD.' 

"  Batteries  here  ready  to  open  Wednesday  or  Thursday.  What 
instructions  ? 

"  G.  P.  BEAUREGARD." 

The  report  of  this  telegram  sent  by  Commissioner  Crawford 
greatly  impressed  Major  Anderson,  if  it  did  not  alarm  him,  and 
upon  the  5th  of  April  it  was  made  the  subject  of  an  earnest  com- 
munication to  the  Government.  He  thought  that  the  Commissioner 
had  misunderstood  what  he  had  heard  in  Washington,  as  he  could 
not  think  "  that  the  Government  would  abandon,  without  instruc- 
tions and  without  advice,"  his  command,  that  had  sought  to  do 
its  duty.  He  thought  that  if  the  Government  determined  to  be  pas- 
sive in  regard  to  "  a  recognition  of  the  fact  of  a  dissolution  of 
the  Union,"  it  would  not  compel  him  to  an  act  which  would  leave 
his  "  motives  and  actions  liable  to  misconception."  After  his  long 
service,  he  did  not  wish  it  to  be  said  that  he  had  treasonably 
abandoned  his  post,  and  that  he  was  entitled  to  this  act  of  justice. 
What  to  do  with  the  public  property,  and  where  to  take  his  com- 
mand, were  questions  to  which  he  earnestly  sought  a  response;  and 
he  closes  his  communication  with  the  statement  that  unless  he 
was  supplied,  he  would  be  compelled  to  stay  without  food  or  to 
"  abandon  his  post  "  very  early  next  week.  He  wrote  : 

No.  94.]  "FoRT  SUMTER,  S.  C..  April  5,  1861. 

"  (Received  A.  G.  O.,  April  8.) 
"  Colonel  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant-General  U.  S.  Army  : 

"  Colonel :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  everything  still  and 
quiet,  and  to  send  herewith  the  report  of  Lieutenant  Snyder,  whom 
I  sent  yesterday  with  a  short  note  and  a  verbal  message  to  the 
Governor  of  South  Carolina.  No  reply  has  been  received  to  my 
note. 

"  I  cannot  but  think  that  Mr.  Crawford  has  misunderstood 
what  he  has  heard  in  Washington,  as  I  cannot  think  that  the  Gov- 


392 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


ernment  would  abandon,  without  instructions  and  without  advice, 
a  command  which  has  tried  to  do  all  its  duty  to  our  country. 

"  I  cannot  but  think  that  if  the  Government  decides  to  do 
nothing  which  can  be  construed  into  a  recognition  of  the  fact  of 
the  dissolution  of  the  Union,  that  it  will,  at  all  events,  say  to  me 
that  I  must  do  the  best  I  can,  and  not  compel  me  to  do  an  act 
which  will  leave  my  motives  and  actions  liable  to  misconception. 

"  I  am  sure  that  I  shall  not  be  left  without  instructions,  even 
though  they  may  be  confidential.  After  thirty  odd  years  of  serv- 
ice I  do  not  wish  it  to  be  said  that  I  have  treasonably  abandoned 
a  post  and  turned  over  to  unauthorized  persons  public  property 
intrusted  to  my  charge.  lam  entitled  to  this  act  of  justice  at  the 
hands  of  my  Government,  and  I  feel  confident  that  I  shall  not  be 
disappointed.  What  to  do  with  the  public  property,  and  where  to 
take  my  command,  are  questions  to  which  answers  will,  I  hope, 
be  at  once  returned.  Unless  we  receive  supplies,  I  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  stay  here  without  food  or  to  abandon  this  post  very  early 
next  week. 

"  Confidently  hoping  that  I  shall  receive  ample  instructions  in 
time, 

"  I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"  Major  First  Artillery,  Commanding" 

[Inclosure.] 

It  was  this  telegram  that  produced  the  effect  upon  Major 
Anderson,  already  noticed.  At  Montgomery,  the  Government 
was  kept  equally  apprised  of  every  indication  of  movement.  On 
the  zd  the  Commissioner  telegraphed  that  the  "  war  wing  "  pressed 
upon  the  President,  and  that  he  had  been  in  conference  with  mil- 
itary and  naval  officers,  which  was  supposed  to  be  in  reference  to 
Fort  Sumter,  and  that  Mr.  Chase,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
had  been  found  by  Senator  Dixon  to  be  much  moderated  and 
strongly  inclined  to  the  peace  policy.  On  the  same  day,  the  Con- 
federate Secretary  of  War  addressed  a  communication  to  General 
Beauregard,  in  which  he  expressed  to  him  the  distrust  entertained 
by  the  Confederate  Government  in  regard  to  the  evacuation  of 
Sumter,  or  of  the  indisposition  of  the  United  States  Government 
to  concede  or  yield  any  point  unless  driven  to  it  by  absolute 
necessity,  and  he  was  in  no  degree  to  remit  his  efforts  to  prevent 
the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Sumter;  he  was  to  be  prepared  to  repel 
any  invading  force,  and  to  act  as  f  he  was  in  the  presence  of  an 
enemy  intending  to  surprise  him.  The  status  which  he  must 
enforce  was  "  that  of  hostile  forces  in  the  presence  of  each  other, 


CONFLICTING  TELEGRAMS  IN  REGARD  TO  SUM  TER.    393 

who  may  at  any  moment  be  in  actual  conflict."  All  communica- 
tion between  the  city  and  fort  was  to  be  "inhibited,"  and  this  was 
to  be  rigidly  enforced,  and  specific  instructions  would  be  sent 
him  upon  the  withdrawal  of  the  Commissioners  from  Washington. 
Telegrams  announcing  the  movements  or  rumored  movements  of 
ships  or  of  troops  were  sent  daily  to  the  authorities  at  Montgom- 
ery or  at  Charleston,  either  by  the  Commissioners  or  by  Southern 
emissaries  or  friends.  The  putting  in  commission  of  the  Pow- 
hatan,  the  sailing  of  the  Minnesota,  the  orders  to  the  Pawnee,  the 
sending  of  three  companies  of  artillery  to  New  York,  were  all 
subjects  of  telegraphic  information  and  caution.  That  some 
military  expedition  was  in  contemplation  and  in  preparation,  was 
plain.  And  in  spite  of  the  rumor  that  it  was  intended  for  San 
Domingo  or  for  Spain,  it  became  daily  more  evident  that  it  was 
intended  for  Fort  Sumter  or  for  Fort  Pickens,  and  the  authorities 
were  advised  to  show  equal  activity  to  receive  them  if  they  came. 
The  advices  gradually  became  more  positive.  On  the  6th  of 
April  a  telegram  was  sent  to  the  Hon.  A.  G.  Magrath  at 
Charleston  to  the  following  effect :  "  Positively  determined  not 
to  withdraw  Anderson.  Supplies  go  immediately,  supported  by 
naval  force  under  Stringham,  if  their  landing  be  resisted."  It 
was  signed  a  "  Friend,"  and  was  thus  endorsed  :  "  To  Charles- 
ton office:  the  above  is  by  a  reliable  man.  Caldwell." 

But  the  telegraph  office  was  not  satisfied  unless  the  despatch 
was  confirmed  by  some  responsible  name,  when  the  following 
endorsement  was  made  upon  it: 

"  MONDAY,  April  8. 

Sent  by  James  E.  Harvey  by  telegraph,  last  Saturday  morn- 
ing." 

The  telegram  was  duly  received  by  Judge  Magrath,  who  upon 
the  same  day  communicated  it  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of 
War  at  Montgomery,  saying  also  that  he  had  asked  as  to  the 
identity  of  the  "  Friend  "  who  had  signed  it,  and  was  satisfied  that 
he  was  high  in  the  confidence  of  the  Government  at  Washington, 
but  upon  the  same  day  a  totally  different  despatch  was  communi- 
cated to  Judge  Magrath  and  others  in  Charleston  and  signed 
James  E.  Harvey.  It  was  as  follows: 

"  Orders  issued  for  withdrawal  of  Anderson's  command. 
Scott  declares  it  military  necessity.  This  is  private." 

It  was  followed  by  another,  to  the  effect  that  great  efforts  were 


304  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

making  to  reconsider  the  withdrawal,  but  would  fail,  and  again 
by  a  third,  that  there  was  no  decision  yet  reached;  the  final  order 
was  reserved,  and  that  the  Cabinet  was  six  for  withdrawal  and  one 
against  it.  A  rumor,  too,  had  been  circulated  that  the  people  of 
South  Carolina  were  opposed  to  the  voluntary  withdrawal  of 
Anderson's  command,  and  demanded  a  capitulation,  and  eager 
inquiries  had  been  made  from  the  emissaries  in  Washington  as  to 
the  truth  of  their  being  opposed  to  Anderson's  voluntary  with- 
drawal. The  request  of  Captain  Foster,  to  be  allowed  to  send 
away  his  mechanics  and  laborers  from  Fort  Sumter,  was  on  the 
2d  of  April,  as  has  been  already  seen,  peremptorily  refused  by 
the  Confederate  Secretary,  who  replied  that  no  portion  of  the 
garrison  must  be  permitted  to  go  unless  all  go.  This  decision 
added  to  the  embarrassment  of  Major  Anderson,  whose  stock  of 
provisions  was  now  being  rapidly  exhausted.  Meantime,  Major 
Anderson  was  allowed  to  receive  his  mails  only,  and  for  the 
reason  that  they  might  carry  to  him  authority  to  withdraw.  A 
strict  surveillance  was  to  be  kept  up,  and  any  courtesies  required 
were  to  be  determined  by  the  necessities  of  bis  position.  No  one 
was  to  be  allowed  to  leave  the  fort,  or  any  messenger  favorable 
to  the  Washington  Government  to  visit  it,  except  he  bore  an  order 
for  the  evacuation  of  the  fort. 

On  the  8th  an  ordinance  was  passed  by  the  Convention, 
transferring  the  forts,  navy  yards  and  arsenals,  together  with 
Fort  Sumter,  to  the  Confederate  Government,  to  be  controlled  at 
its  discretion  until  the  ordinance  should  be  repealed  by  a  con- 
vention of  the  people.  Meantime,  Captain  Talbot  had  arrived  in 
Washington  and  had  presented  the  despatch  of  Major  Anderson 
to  the  Government,  which  had  now  wholly  determined  upon  its 
course.  Formal  notice  of  its  intention  was  to  be  given  to  the 
authorities  in  Charleston. 

On  the  6th  instant  an  order  was  issued  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  directing  Captain  Talbot  to  proceed  directly  to  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  to  procure  an  interview  with  Governor  Pickens,  if  Fort 
Sumter  was  still  held,  and  to  read  to  him  a  notice  that  an  attempt 
would  be  made  to  provision  the  fort.  If  the  fort  had  been  evac- 
uated or  surrendered,  he  was  not  to  seek  the  interview,  but  was  to 
return  forthwith.*  The  promise  given  to  the  Commissioner,  that 

*  Secretary  of  War,  April  6,  1861. 


PRESIDENTS  NOTICE  TO  GOVERNOR  PICKENS.      395 

due  notice  should  be  given  of  such  an  attempt,  was  thus  to  be  ful- 
filled, and  Mr.  R.  L.  Chew,  of  the  Department  of  State,  was  selected 
as  the  messenger  to  proceed  to  Charleston  in  company  with  Cap- 
tain Talbot  and  deliver  his  message  to  the  Governor  of  the  State. 

On  the  6th  they  left  Washington,  and  arrived  in  Charleston 
on  the  8th  instant,  when  an  immediate  interview  with  the  Gover- 
nor was  sought  by  Captain  Talbot,  who  informed  him  of  the 
nature  of  his  mission  and  of  his  written  instructions,  and  asked 
that  his  Excellency  would  accord  an  interview  to  Mr.  Chew  at  his 
earliest  convenience.  This  was  at  once  accorded  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Governor,  when  Mr.  Chew  read  to  him  a  message 
from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  leaving  a  copy  with  him. 
On  page  396  appears  a  facsimile  of  the  paper  read  to  the  Governor. 

As  the  State  had  ratified  the  Constitution  of  the  Confederate 
States,  the  Governor  desired  that  General  Beauregard,  who  was 
in  command  under  that  authority,  should  be  present  when  the 
Governor  read  and  handed  to  him  a  copy  of  the  message.  A 
request  upon  the  part  of  Captain  Talbot,  that  he  might  proceed 
to  Fort  Sumter  for  duty,  was  peremptorily  refused  by  both  Gov- 
ernor Pickens  and  General  Beauregard,  as  well  as  permission  to 
communicate  with  Major  Anderson,  even  with  the  understanding 
that  Captain  Talbot  should  return  at  once  to  Charleston;  and 
very  significant  hints  were  given  that  the  immediate  departure  of 
these  gentlemen  would  be  prudent.  At  the  hotel  there  were  signs 
of  excitement  and  disapprobation  at  the  presence  of  Mr.  Chew, 
the  object  of  whose  mission  had  become  rumored  about  the  city. 
They  were  conveyed  quietly  from  the  hotel  in  a  carriage,  and 
under  the  escort  of  an  aide  of  the  Governor  and  one  from  Gen- 
eral Beauregard  to  the  station  near  midnight.  By  direction  of 
General  Beauregard  their  journey  was  impeded  and  broken.  At 
Florence  they  were  detained  for  some  hours,  and  all  telegrams 
sent  by  them  were,  by  the  same  authority,  communicated  to  him 
at  Charleston  They  reached  Washington  on  the  fourth  day. 

On  the  8th,  the  day  upon  which  the  communication  of  the 
President  was  delivered,  a  telegram  from  one  of  the  Commission- 
ers had  come,  affirming  the  uncertainty  of  "accounts,"  and 
that  a  reassurance,  in  which,  however,  they  had  no  faith,  had 
been  made  that  the  status  of  Sumter  would  not  be  changed 
without  notice,  and  that  the  war  policy  prevailed  in  the  Cabinet. 
Upon  the  same  day  the  Confederate  War  Department  was 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


jfcyv^-   c/^i^^^L^. 


£jL-      /Zsl^.£^   X-S_        ^Z?~ 


/v- 


^-c^-v — "^^e^o 


INCREASED  FORCES  TO  THE  BATTERIES. 


397 


informed  by  the  general  in  command  at  Charleston  of  the  mes- 
sage of  the  President  to  the  Governor,  when  he  was  answered 
that  under  no  circumstances  was  he  to  allow  provisions  to  be 
sent.  Owing  to  the  premature  publication  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
South  Carolina  Convention,  in  which  was  a  detailed  report  of  the 
State  Secretary  of  War,  giving  "  the  exact  condition,  strength  and 
number  of  batteries  and  troops  in  the  harbor,"  the  general  in 
command  at  once  called  out  the  balance  (5,000  men)  of  the  con- 
tingent forces,  a  measure  he  deemed  necessary  on  account  of  the 
warlike  preparations  made  by  the  United  States.  Upon  the  same 
date  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War  recommended  to  the 
Governor  the  calling  out  of  3,000  volunteers,  to  be  held  in  readi- 
ness for  any  service,  and  a  similar  request  was  made  to  the 
Governors  of  Louisiana,  Texas,  Alabama  and  Mississippi. 

Events  of  great  import  now  rapidly  succeeded  each  other. 
The  forces  on  Morris  Island  were  increased  to  2,100  men,  as 
the  Governor  now  informed  his  Government,  and  ten  compa- 
nies of  800  men  and  two  more  regiments  were  to  arrive  the  fol- 
lowing day  (loth);  that  he  had  3,700  men  at  the  different  posts 
and  batteries,  and  that  by  the  xoth  he  would  have  3,000  more 
which  he  had  "called  down."  He  anticipated  a  landing  in 
boats  on  the  lower  end  of  Morris  Island,  but  he  had  a  fine  rifle 
regiment  and  two  Dahlgren  guns,  with  four  24-pounders  in  battery, 
as  well  as  forty  enfilade  rifles,  to  give  them  T.  cordial  welcome.  A 
valuable  addition  to  their  armament,  a  Blakely  gun,  arrived  on  the 
9th  from  England.  It  was  the  latest  improvement  in  ordnance, 
and  was  a  gift  from  Charles  K.  Prioleau,  a  citizen  of  South 
Carolina  then  residing  in  London,  of  the  firm  of  Frazer  &  Co.  It 
was  inscribed,  "  Presented  to  the  State  of  South  Carolina  by  a 
citizen  resident  abroad,  in  commemoration  of  the  aoth  Decem- 
ber, 1860." 

Composed  of  steel  coils,  with  an  elevation  of  seven  and  one-half 
degrees  to  the  mile,  the  Governor  had  informed  the  authorities  at 
Montgomery  that  it  would  throw  a  shell  or  twelve-pound  shot  with 
the  accuracy  of  a  duelling  pistol,  and  with  only  half  a  pound  of 
powder.  This  gun  was  placed  in  position  on  Cummings  Point, 
and  fully  justified  the  anticipations  in  reference  to  it;  its  fire  was 
accurate  and  searching,  and  did  more  towards  effecting  a  breach 
in  the  work  than  any  other  ordnance. 

The  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  numbered  at  this  period  ten 


398 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


officers  and  sixty-five  enlisted  men.  Meantime  vigorous  prosecu- 
tion of  the  work  around  the  fort  was  noted  and  reported,  although 
the  mails  had  been  stopped  and  no  communication  allowed.  The 
heightening  and  strengthening  of  the  works,  their  reinforcement, 
as  well  as  the  increased  activity  of  the  guard-boats  in  the  chan- 
nels and  the  signal  vessels  now  far  out  "  beyond  the  bar,"  were  all 
observed,  as  well  as  the  addition  of  a  heavy  Dahlgren  gun  to  the 
new  battery  on  Sullivan's  Island,  the  unmasking  of  which  had  so 
greatly  impressed  Major  Anderson. 

The  rations  were  fast  diminishing  ;  there  was  but  little  bread 
and  rice,  but  by  putting  the  command  on  half  rations,  he  thought 
that  he  could  make  his  bread  ration  last  until  the  i3th.  The 
strictest  economy  was  enjoined,  and  the  officers  compelled  to  take 
with  them  the  fragments  of  bread  or  crackers  that  remained  after 
any  meal ;  one  cracker  to  a  man  morning  and  evening,  none  at 
dinner,  was  now  ordered.  The  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed 
among  the  men.  While  their  long  confinement  was  telling  upon 
them,  they  were  yet  in  good  spirits,  although  unfit  for  any  fatiguing 
labor,  and  they  worked  by  day  and  night  at  the  preparations  made 
to  protect  the  anticipated  landing.  The  construction  of  the  splinter- 
proof  traverses  on  the  parapet  was  now  approaching  completion, 
and  the  sound  gun-carriages  taken  to  pieces  to  obtain  necessary 
timber.  For  their  greater  protection  the  whole  command  was  now 
moved  into  the  gun-casemates  by  Major  Anderson's  orders.  All 
of  the  surplus  blankets  and  extra  company  clothing,  as  well  as  the 
bed-clothing  of  the  hospital,  were  used  to  make  cartridge  bags, 
while  shot  and  shell  were  now  distributed  to  the  guns.  The  men 
worked  cheerfully  and  in  the  greatest  elation  of  spirits,  and  it  was 
after  witnessing  this  that  the  writer  descended  from  the  parapet 
to  the  lower  battery  on  the  morning  of  the  xoth,  when  he  saw 
Major  Anderson  alone,  walking  slowly  backward  and  forward 
among  his  guns.  He  was  greatly  depressed;  he  seemed  to  realize 
that  upon  himself  rested  mainly  the  great  responsibility.  He  had 
endeavored  to  avert  the  crisis  upon  him  by  every  means  in  his 
power;  he  had  failed,  and  the  struggle  was  unavoidable  and  immi- 
nent. His  sense  of  duty  now  overcame  every  other  consideration, 
and  he  prepared  to  meet  the  worst.  The  morning  of  the  nth  of 
April  dawned  brightly  over  the  harbor  of  Charleston;  nothing 
could  exceed  the  activity  everywhere  manifested.  From  the  early 
hours  of  the  morning  the  waters  were  covered  with  the  white 


BREAD  RATION  EXHAUSTED. 


399 


sails  of  the  shipping  putting  hastily  to  sea.  The  guard-boats  were 
busily  plying  between  the  harbor  and  the  bar,  incessantly  signal- 
ling. Constant  communication  was  kept  up  between  the  batteries 
and  forts,  and  the  town.  Steamers  conveying  men  and  material 
left  to  the  last  moment,  passed  at  limes  under  the  guns  of  the  fort, 
while  small  boats  with  officers  bearing  special  and  final  instruc- 
tions crossed  and  recrossed  the  waters  of  the  harbor  at  all  hours. 
At  early  dawn  the  floating  battery,  which  had  been  towed  down  in 
the  night,  was  discovered  firmly  stranded  on  the  upper  end  of 
Sullivan's  Island,  behind  and  protected  by  the  stone  breakwater. 
The  fire  of  its  guns  would  cover  the  whole  of  the  left  flank  of 
Fort  Sumter  and  command  the  anchorage  for  boats,  and,  as 
Anderson  reported  to  his  Government, "  was  admirably  placed  for 
pouring  a  murderous  fire  "  upon  any  vessels  attempting  to  lay 
alongside  of  the  left  flank  of  the  fort.  The  activity  around  him, 
and  the  especial  direction  given  to  it  in  the  "judicious  arrange- 
ments "  made  to  prevent  the  landing  of  supplies,  induced  Anderson 
to  believe  and  to  report  that,  had  the  authorities  about  him  been 
in  possession  of  the  intentions  of  the  Government,  they  could, 
not  have  made  better  arrangements.  He  suggests  another  plan,  as 
the  least  dangerous  course,  and  this  was  for  the  supply  vessels  to 
run  directly  into  the  wharf  of  the  fort  after  passing  Cummings 
Point,  where  they  would  be  less  exposed  to  fire  from  the  new 
batteries  on  the  west  end  of  Sullivan's  Island.  In  reporting  the 
good  health  and  spirits  of  his  men,  he  says  that  they  were  under 
greater  anxiety  for  those  whom  he  expected  to  come  to  their  relief 
than  for  themselves.  The  bread  ration  was  now  exhausted; 
damaged  rice  *  was  used  with  broken  pieces  of  crackers  which  had 
remained,  and  this  with  salt  pork  was  the  only  food  left.  The 
greatest  eagerness  was  manifested  among-the  men,  as  they  antici- 
pated an  immediate  solution  of  the  existing  difficulty.  All  of 
the  command  were  now  in  the  casemates,  the  hospital  arrangements 
completed,  the  traverses  to  protect  the  battery  upon  the  parapet 
and  also  the  main  gates  were  finished,  and  the  officers  assigned  to 
the  various  batteries.  The  men  could  be  seen  at  all  hours  upon 


*  Some  rice  that  had  been  wet  was  spread  upon  the  floor  of  the  upper  story 
of  the  officers'  quarters  to  dry.  In  firing  the  national  salute  upon  the  22d 
of  February  the  glass  in  the  window  was  shattered,  and  mixed  with  the  rice  so 
as  to  render  it  unserviceable.  This  was  now  sifted  and  used. 


400 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


the  parapet,  watching  the  preparations  going  on  around  them  and 
looking  anxiously  seaward,  when  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
in  the  midst  of  the  uncertainty  and  suspense,  a  boat  bearing  a 
white  flag  was  seen  approaching  the  work. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Affairs  at  Fort  Pickens— Quasi  truce  established  -  Chief  Engineer  Totten — 
Communication  to  the  War  Department  in  regard  to  Sumter  and  Pickens 
— The  President  not  yet  determined  upon  his  course — Pressure  upon  him 
— Finally  determines  ••  Orders  troops  on  Brooklyn  to  be  landed  at  Pickens 
— Commanding  officer  refuses  on  account  of  "truce" — "Provisional  expedi- 
tion" prepared — Its  detail— U.  S.  steamship  PoTuhatan—  Her  arrival — Her 
preparation  to  refit  for  sea— Determination  to  send  provisional  expedition 
— Other  expeditions  under  authority  of  the  President — Its  detail  -  Action 
of  Secretary  of  State — His  interview  with  General  Scott— Result— Lieuten- 
ant D.  D.  Porter  selected  to  command  Powhatan — Secret  orders — Inter- 
view with  the  President— Orders  to  Porter-  Difficulties  in  procuring  funds 
— Attempt  to  detain  the  Pffwhatan  -Finally  sails  -Arrives  at  Pensacola — 
Result  of  the  Expedition —  Fort  Pickens  supplied  and  reinforced — Provi- 
sional expedition  sails  for  Charleston  Harbor — Its  late  arrival— Fort  Sumter 
bombarded — Absence  of  the  tugs— Expedition  unsuccessful— President's 
letter  to  Captain  Fox. 

IN  order  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the  circumstances  which 
from  the  moment  of  its  advent  to  power  surrounded  the  new 
administration  with  difficulties  that  were  unprecedented,  it  is 
necessary  to  recur  again  to  the  condition  of  affairs  affecting  Fort 
Pickens  under  the  former  administration. 

On  the  6th  of  February  the  United  States  steamer  Brooklyn 
with  a  company  of  artillery  under  Captain  Vodges,  of  the  First 
United  States  Artillery,  from  Fortress  Monroe,  had  arrived  at 
Pensacola,  off  Fort  Pickens,  with  the  intention  of  reinforcing  that 
fort.  But  upon  his  arrival,  Captain  Vodges  was  met  by  orders 
from  the  War  Department,  to  the  effect  that  his  company  was  not 
to  be  landed  unless  Fort  Pickens  should  be  attacked  or  prepara- 
tions made  for  such  attack.  He  was,  however,  to  land  the  pro- 
visions necessary.  The  communication  of  the  War  Department 
contained  the  following  enclosure: 

"WASHINGTON,  January  21,  1861. 

'To  James  Glynn,  commanding  the  Macedonian;  Captain  F. 
Walker,  commanding  the  Brooklyn,  and  other  officers  in  com- 
mand; and  Lieutenant  Adam  J.  Slemmer,  First  Regiment  of 
Artillery,  United  States  Army,  commanding  Fort  Pickens, 
Pensacola,  Florida: 
"  In  consequence  of  the  assurances  received  from  Mr.  Mallory, 


4 02  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

in  a  telegram  of  yesterday  to  Messrs.  Slidell,  Hunter  and  Bigler, 
with  a  request  it  should  be  laid  before  the  President,  that  Fort 
Pickens  would  not  be  assaulted,  and  an  offer  of  such  an  assurance 
to  the  same  effect  from  Colonel  Chase,  for  the  purpose  of  avoid- 
ing a  hostile  collision,  upon  receiving  satisfactory  assurances 
from  Mr.  Mallory  and  Colonel  Chase  that  Fort  Pickens  will  not 
be  attacked,  you  are  instructed  not  to  land  the  company  on  board 
the  Brooklyn  unless  said  fort  shall  be  attacked  or  preparations 
shall  be  made  for  its  attack.  The  provisions  necessary  for  the 
supply  of  the  fort  you  will  land,  &c.,  &c. 

"  J.  HOLT,  Secretary  of  War. 

"  ISAAC  TOUCEY,  Secretary  of  the  Navy." 

On  this  quasi  truce,  the  "  status  quo  "  in  the  harbor  of  Pen- 
sacola  was  maintained. 

The  pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  the  President  in  regard  to 
Fort  Sumter,  after  the  meeting  and  action  of  his  Cabinet  on  the 
1 5th  of  March,  was  unremitting,  as  either  side  urged  upon  him 
their  peculiar  views.  A  conviction  seemed  now  to  prevail  in  the 
Cabinet  that  an  attempt  to  succor  Anderson  would  inaugurate 
civil  war,  and  this  belief  was  sustained  and  supported  by  the 
highest  military  authority. 

From  his  official  relation  to  the  military  questions  involved, 
and  upon  which  he  conceived  that  great  political  events  were  about 
to  turn,  the  Chief  Engineer*  deemed  it  to  be  his  duty,  in  addition 
to  what  he  had  heretofore  said,  to  state  his  "  strongest  convictions" 
in  regard  to  the  question  of  defending  or  abandoning  Forts  Sum- 
ter and  Pickens.  Accordingly,  on  the  3d  of  April  he  addressed  a 
communication  to  the  War  Department.  He  thought  that  even 
were  Fort  Sumter  now  filled  with  men  and  munitions,  it  could  hold 
out  but  a  short  time,  that  it  would  be  bravely  defended  with  much 
loss  of  life,  and  that  the  issue  could  only  be  averted  by  sending 
a  large  "  army  and  navy  "  to  capture  the  batteries  and  forts;  that 
there  was  now  no  time  to  do  this,  and  that  if  Fort  'Sumter  was  not 
evacuated  it  would  be  taken  by  force.  He  did  not  advise  as  to 
the  policy  of  the  Government,  but  he  presented  facts  of  a  military 
nature  which  he  thought  might  bear  upon  the  political  question. 
He  thought,  too,  that  no  measures  "  within  our  reach  "  would  pre- 
vent the  loss  of  Fort  Pickens.  Cabinet  meetings  were  now  of 
almost  daily  occurrence,  when  the  subject  was  earnestly  discussed. 
The  President  had  not  yet  wholly  made  up  his  mind.  The  views 

*  General  Totten. 


PRES.  ORDERS  REINFORCEMENT  OF  FT.  PICKENS.     40  "> 

of  Lieutenant-General  Scott  and  other  military  authorities  had 
greatly  impressed  him,  and  these,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
letter  of  Major  Anderson  of  the  28th  of  February,  with  the  esti- 
mate of  himself  and  his  officers  as  to  the  force  required  to  relieve 
him,  supported  as  it  was  by  the  highest  military  authority,  and 
especially  by  that  of  General  Scott,  appeared  to  the  President,  "  in 
a  purely  military  point  of  view,"  to  reduce  the  duty  of  the  admin- 
istration "  to  the  mere  matter  of  getting  the  garrison  out  of  the 
fort."  But  the  counsels  of  those  who  had  so  consistently  urged 
that  the  fort  should  be  relieved  had  now  prevailed.  In  spite  of 
the  great  weight  of  authority,  both  military  and  civil,  against  such 
action,  the  President  resolved  that  the  property  of  the  Govern- 
ment should  not  be  abandoned  nor  its  garrison  withdrawn  under 
the  plea  of  any  necessity,  without  some  effort  upon  his  part  to  re- 
lieve it;  he  thought  that  to  abandon  Fort  Sumter  "  under  the 
circumstances  would  be  utterly  ruinous;"  that  the  necessity  plead- 
ed for  it  would  be  misunderstood,  and  "  would  be  construed  as  a 
part  of  a  voluntary  policy,"  and  that  "it  would  be  our  national 
destruction  consummated."  If,  however,  before  the  provisions 
at  Sumter  were  exhausted  Fort  Pickens  could  be  reinforced,  it 
would  indicate  a  policy  which  would  "  better  enable  the  country 
to  accept  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  as  a  military  necessity." 
The  month  of  March  was  drawing  to  a  close  before  the  President 
had  finally  determined  as  to  the  policy  he  would  adopt,  and  his 
responsibility  and  action  under  it.  But  he  had  already  begun  to 
take  the  necessary  steps  to  carry  into  execution  the  plan  that 
should  be  selected.  Accordingly,  towards  the  end  of  March  an 
order  was  sent  directing  that  the  company  of  artillery  on  board 
the  Brooklyn  should  be  at  once  landed  and  reinforce  that  work. 

In  order  to  replenish  her  stores,  the  Brooklyn  on  the  22d  of 
March  had  transferred  the  troops  on  board  to  the  frigate  Sabine, 
and  had  left  for  Key  West.  The  messenger  proceeded  by  sea. 
When  the  order  arrived,*  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Sabine^ 
"  acting  upon  the  quasi  armistice  of  the  late  administration — and 
of  the  existence  of  which  the  present  administration,  up  to  the  time 
the  order  was  despatched,  had  only  too  vague  and  uncertain 
rumors  to  fix  attention — had  refused  to  land  the  troops,  "f 


*  On  the  3 1st  of  March. 

t  The  words  of  the  President  himself.    (See  President's  Message,  Extra 
session  of  Congress,  July,   1861. 


404  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  messenger,  with  the  news  of  this  refusal,  and  the  conse- 
quent failure  to  reinforce  the  work,  reached  Washington  "just 
one  week  before  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter."  No  time  now  remained 
to  renew  the  attempt  to  reinforce  Fort  Pickens  before  the  crisis 
would  have  arrived  at  Fort  Sumter,  through  the  absolute  want  of 
provisions.  Some  days  before,  a  provisional  expedition  had  been 
ordered  by  ths  President  in  person.  On  the  2Qth  of  March  he 
addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War  a  communication  desiring  that 
an  expedition  to  move  by  sea  should  be  in-  readiness  to  sail  upon 
the  6th  of  April,  in  co-operation  with  the  navy,  and  "  preliminary 
orders  "  were  enclosed  to  the  Navy  and  War  departments.* 

Upon  the  following  day  Captain  Fox  proceeded  to  New  York, 
under  the  verbal  instructions  of  the  President  to  make  ready,  but 
"  not  to  incur  any  binding  engagements."  Here  he  consulted 
with  prominent  citizens  who  had  had  experience  in  naval  affairs, 
with  a  view  of  coming  to  an  understanding  authorized  by  the 
President's  instructions.  One  of  them,  Mr.  Charles  H.  Marshall, 
declined  to  give  him  any  assistance,  and  for  the  reason  that  the 
attempt  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter  would  kill  the  proposed  loan  and 
bring  on  civil  war,  and  because  the  people  had  made  up  their 
minds  to  abandon  Sumter  and  make  the  stand  upon  Fort 
Pickens. f  On  the  afternoon  of  the  4th  of  April  Captain  Fox  was 
sent  for  by  the  President,  and  informed  by  him  for  the  first  time 
of  his  final  determination  to  send  the  expedition  for  the  relief  of 
Sumter.  He  told  him,  also,  of  his  intention  to  send  a  messenger 
to  inform  the  authorities  at  Charleston  of  his  purpose  to  provision 
Fort  Sumter  peaceably.  When,  in  response,  Captain  Fox  had 
stated  that  there  were  but  nine  days  in  which  to  organize  such 
expedition  and  also  to  reach  Charleston,  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  miles  distant,  the  President  replied,  "  You  will  best  fulfill 
your  duty  to  your  country  by  making  the  attempt."  The  orders 
to  Captain  Fox  directed  him  to  take  charge  of  the  transports  in 

*To  the  Navy:  Specifying  the  steamers  required  to  be  placed  under  sail- 
ing orders,  with  supplies  for  one  month,  and  three  hundred  men  to  be  kept 
ready  on  the  receiving  ships  at  New  York.  Pocakontas,  Pawnee  and  Harriet 
Lane  specified.  To  the  War  Department:  To  hold  two  hundred  men  in 
readiness  to  leave  Governor's  Island,  New  York.  Supplies  for  one  hundred 
men  for  one  year,  to  be  put  into  portable  shape,  and  one  large  steamer  and 
two  tugs  conditionally  engaged. 

t  Captain  G.  V.  Fox,  "Old  Residents'  Historical  Association,"  Vol.  II., 
No  i.  Lowell,  Mass.,  p  46. 


PREPARA  TIONS  FOR  THE  EXPEDITION.  405 

New  York,  with  the  troops  and  supplies  on  board,  to  the  entrance 
of  Charleston  Harbor,  and  to  endeavor  to  deliver  the  subsistence. 
If  he  was  opposed  in  this,  he  was  to  report  the  fact  to  the 
senior  naval  officer,  who  was  instructed  to  force  a  passage.  The 
necessary  orders  were  issued  by  Lieutenant  General  Scott  to  his 
aide-de-camp  in  New  York,  who  was  directed  to  organize  a  detach- 
ment of  two  hundred  recruits,  with  the  proper  complement  of 
officers  and  arms  and  subsistence.  All  of  the  necessary  orders 
were  to  be  given  in  General  Scott's  name. 

Captain  Fox  proceeded  at  once  to  New  York,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  5th  of  April,  and  at  once  pushed  forward  his  preparations 
with  the  utmost  energy.  He  delivered  his  confidential  orders  to 
Colonel  H.  L.  Scott,  the  aide-de-camp  of  the  Lieutenant-General, 
but  that  officer  "ridiculed  the  idea  of  the  Government  relieving 
Fort  Sumter,  and  by  his  indifference  and  delay  half  a  day  of 
precious  time  was  lost."*  The  recruits  ordered  were  undrilled,  raw 
and  wholly  unfit  for  the  service  required.  The  tugs  necessary 
were  hired  with  difficulty,  the  owners  objecting  to  the  secrecy 
required,  but  finally  yielded  after  securing  exorbitant  rates. 

At  this  period  there  were  but  two  small  vessels  of  war  in  the 
Atlantic  waters,  the  Pocahontas  and  the  Pawnee.  The  Powhatan 
had  arrived  at  New  York  on  the  i3tb  of  March,  and  by  order  of 
the  Navy  Department  had  gone  out  of  commission  at  5  o'clock 
p.  M.  on  the  ist  of  April.  The  Powhatan  had  been  selected  by 
Captain  Fox  as  a  part  of  the  provisional  expedition  now  organiz- 
ing, because  it  was  deemed  impracticable  to  crowd  the  transport 
Baltic  with  all  of  the  troops  and  material  required;  and  with  her 
large  boats  she  was  deemed  indispensable  to  success.  But  the 
service  of  the  ship  had  been  anticipated,  for  on  the  315!  of  March, 
as  will  be  subsequently  seen,  in  his  interview  with  the  President 
both  the  ship  and  her  commander  had  been  named  by  Captain 
Meigs,  and  there  was  at  that  time  no  mention  of  her  in  connec- 
tion with  other  service  until  she  was  ready  for  sea.  It  was  the 
intention  that  she  should  sail  on  the  2d  of  April,  but  her  condi- 
tion was  such  as  to  render  that  impossible. 

At  7  P.  M.  on  that  day  (April  i)  an  order  from  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  revoking  the  previous  order,  directing  the  detach- 
ment of  the  officers  and  the  transfer  and  discharge  of  the  crew  of 


*  Statement  of  Captain  G.  V.  Fox. 


4o6  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAI?. 

the  Powhatan  was  received  by  the  commandant  of  the  Brooklyn 
Navy  Yard,  who  was  directed  to  hold  the  ship  in  readiness  for  sea 
service.  This  was  followed  by  a  telegraphic  order  from  the  same 
source,  and  of  the  same  date,  to  "  fit  out  the  ship  to  go  to  sea  at 
the  earliest  possible  moment."  These  orders  were  in  the  ordinary 
routine  of  the  Navy  Department.  But  upon  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  an  order  was  received  by  telegram  from  the  President 
himself,  in  similar  language,  with  the  addition  that  the  ship  was 
to  sail  under  "  sealed  orders,"  and  that  orders  would  go  forward 
by  a  confidential  messenger  upon  the  following  day.  On  the  2d 
the  recall  of  the  officers  of  the  Powhatan  was  directed  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  again,  upon  the  following  day,  urged 
all  despatch  upon  the  commandant  in  preparing  the  vessel  for  sea. 
That  officer  at  once  devoted  himself  to  the  carrying  out  of  his 
instructions,  pushing  the  work  by  night  and  day,  and  by  the  5th 
of  April  he  informed  the  Department  that  the  ship  was  ready  for 
sea,  and  that  she  would  drop  down  off  the  Battery  at  daylight  and 
await  the  orders  of  the  Secretary.  The  orders  to  guide  the 
officer  under  whose  command  the  naval  force  was  placed  were 
duly  transmitted  to  him  on  the  5th  of  April.  The  steamers 
Powhatan,  Pocahontas,  Pawnee  and  Harriet  Lane  were  to  proceed 
under  his  command  to  the  vicinity  of  Charleston,  S.  C., 
to  assist  an  expedition  in  charge  of  the  War  Department.  The 
primary  object  of  the  expedition  was  to  provision  Fort  Sumter. 
If  this  was  not  resisted,  no  further  special  service  would  be 
required  by  his  force,  which  was,  in  that  event,  to  return  to  the 
North.  If,  however,  resistance  should  be  made,  he  was  then  to 
open  the  \vay  to  afford  security  for  the  boats,  and  to  remove  all 
obstructions  and  reinforce  the  fort  by  force.  He  was  to  co-operate 
with  Captain  Fox,  who  had  charge  of  the  expedition  under  the 
War  Department.  He  was  to  leave  New  York  with  the  Pmuhatan 
in  time  to  be  off  Charleston  bar,  ten  miles  east  of  the  light-house, 
on  the  morning  of  the  nth  of  April,  there  to  await  the  arrival  of 
the  transports.  After  the  service  was  rendered,  the  several  vessels 
were  to  return  to  their  respective  posts.  Upon  the  same  day  con- 
fidential communications  were  sent  to  the  commanders  of  the 
several  vessels  composing  the  expedition,  to  report  off  Charleston 
bar  on  the  nth  inst.,  in  accordance  with  the  orders  given  to  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  Pmvhatan  for  special  service,  and  to 
await  his  arrival  if  necessary.  This  expedition  was  contingent 


A  SECRET  EXPEDITION  ORDERED. 


407 


upon  the  necessity  for  its  use,  and,  in  the  language  of  the  President, 
"  as  well  adapted  as  might  be  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter,  and  it  was 
intended  to  be  ultimately  used  or  not,  according  to  circumstances." 

The  news  of  the  failure  to  reinforce  Fort  Pickens  reached  the 
President  in  March,  when  the  information  was  officially  received 
that,  "  under  the  quasi  armistice  of  the  late  administration  "  the 
company  of  artillery  on  board  the  Sabine  had  not  been  landed  at 
Fort  Pickens,  as  he  had  anticipated  and  directed.  Unobstructed 
communication  with  that  fort  was  possible  by  sea  only,  and  it  was 
now  too  late  to  renew  it  before  the  provisions  at  Fort  Sumter  would 
be  wholly  exhausted  and  the  fort  abandoned.  In  regard  to  the 
expedition  provisionally  prepared,  the  President  believed  that  "  the 
strongest  anticipated  case  for  using  it  was  now  presented,  and  it 
was  resolved  to  send  it  forward  ;  "*  and  on  the  4th  of  April  Major 
Anderson  was  duly  and  officially  informed  of  the  determination 
of  the  Government  by  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Meanwhile,  preparations  for  another  expedition  were  in  prog- 
ress, which, although  originating  by  the  direct  and  personal  authority 
of  the  President  himself,  were  unusual,  and  so  contrary  to  official 
custom  and  departmental  routine  that  it  is  deemed  proper,  in 
view  of  the  serious  controversy  which  followed,  to  recount  in 
detail  the  steps  taken. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2pth  of  March  a  messenger  was  des- 
patched by  the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Se\vard,with  a  request  to  Cap- 
tain M.  C.  Meigs,a  prominent  officer  of  the  United  States  Engineers, 
then  on  duty  in  the  city  of  Washington,  to  confer  with  him. 
Captain  Meigs  was  at  that  time  in  charge  of  the  extension  of  the 
Capitol  and  other  public  works,  and  was  personally  and  favorably 
known  to  the  Secretary.  Upon  the  evening  of  that  day,  the  Sec- 
retary, accompanied  by  Captain  Meigs,  proceeded  to  the  President's 
residence,  where,  in  a  long  interview — in  which  the  possibility  of 
relief  to  Fort  Sumter  was  canvassed,  and  the  subject  of  the  rein- 
forcement of  Fort  Pickens  and  the  means  to  effect  it  were  discus- 
sed— it  was  suggested  by  Captain  Meigs  that  the  danger  of  los- 
ing the  fort  lay  principally  in  the  transportation  of  troops  in  boats 
across  the  bay  to  attack  it  before  a  relieving  expedition  could  be 
fitted  out  in  the  North  and  arrive  there.  He  believed  that  a  ship 
of  war  under  some  energetic  officer  of  the  Navy  should  be  made 


*  President's  message.     Extra  session  of  Congress,  1861. 


408 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


ready  for  sea,  and,  if  possible,  reach  Fort  Pickens  in  time  to 
anticipate  any  attack.  The  return  from  sea  of  the  United  States 
steamer  Powhatan  had  been  noticed,  and  she  was  mentioned  in 
this  connection  by  Captain  Meigs  as  being  immediately  available. 

The  President  seemed  to  be  impressed  with  what  had  been 
said  to  him,  and  wholly  favored  the  scheme. 

Meantime  it  had  become  necessary  to  inform  General  Scott  of 
the  purpose  of  the  President.  On  the  morning  of  the  3oth  the 
Secretary  of  State  proceeded  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Scott, 
whom  he  found  at  his  desk,  when  the  following  interview  took 
place:  "  Lieutenant-General  Scott,"  said  the  Secretary,  "you  have 
advised  the  President  that  in  your  opinion  it  is  impossible  to  rein- 
force Fort  Sumter  or  Fort  Pickens.  I  now  come  to  you  from  the 
President,  to  say  that  he  orders  that  Fort  Pickens  shall  be  rein- 
forced, and  that  you  give  the  necessary  instructions."  General 
Scott  rose,  and  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  replied  : 
"  Well,  Mr.  Secretary  of  State,  the  great  Frederick  used  to  say 
that,  'when  the  King  commands,  nothing  is  impossible.'  The 
President's  orders  shall  be  obeyed,  sir."* 

But  General  Scott  was  not  yet  satisfied  that  the  difficulties 
attending  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Pickens  were  thoroughly 
known,  and  accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  the  3ist  of  March,  he 
sent  his  military  secretary,  Lieutenant-Colonel  E.  W.  Keyes,  to  the 
Secretary  of  State.  Colonel  Keyes  bore  with  him  a  map  of  Pensa- 
cola  Harbor,  upon  which  the  difficulties  of  reinforcing  Fort  Pick- 
ens  were  to  be  explained.  The  Secretary  at  once  ignored  the 
"  difficulties,"  and  desired  Colonel  Keyes  to  find  Captain  Meigs 
immediately,  and  to  return  with  him.  Shortly  afterward,  finding 
Captain  Meigs,  they  returned  to  the  Secretary's  residence,  when 
he  at  once  desired  them  to  make  a  plan  for  the  reinforcement  of 
Fort  Pickens,  submit  it  to  General  Scott,  and  bring  it  to  the 
President's  mansion  before  3  o'clock  that  afternoon.  A  plan 
looking  to  the  complete  reinforcement  and  supply  of  Fort  Pickens 
was  prepared  by  each.  But  upon  the  completion  of  their  work 
it  was  found  to  be  too  late  to  consult  General  Scott  and  arrive  at 
the  President's  mansion  at  the  hour  designated.  They  went 
directly  to  the  executive  mansion,  where  they  found  the  President 
and  Secretary  awaiting  them.  The  plans  in  detail  were  read  by 


*  F.  W.  Seward,  Ex-Assistant  Secretary  of  State. 


PLAN  OF  CAPTAIN  MEIGS  ADOPTED. 


409 


each.  The  President  became  bewildered  at  the  scientific  and 
technical  detail,  while  the  attentive  and  silent  Secretary  protested 
that  he  did  not  understand  them.  But  there  were  no  suggestions 
made  or  any  modifications  proposed. 

It  was  at  this  interview  that  the  name  of  Lieutenant  D.  D. 
Porter,  United  States  Navy,  was  first  suggested  to  the  Presi- 
dent by  Captain  Meigs  as  a  suitable  officer  to  command  the  man- 
of-war  to  be  employed  in  the  expedition.  His  daring  achievement 
in  his  entrance  with  his  ship  into  the  harbor  of  Havana  in 
1854,  in  spite  of  the  prohibition  of  the  Governor-General  of  the 
island,  was  told  to  the  President.  He  had  inherited  a  name  illus- 
trious in  naval  annals,  and  he  seemed  from  his  personal  charac- 
teristics to  be  eminently  fitted  for  the  service  required.  The 
whole  subject  was  thoroughly  discussed  and  determined  upon  at 
this  interview,  and  immediately  afterward  assumed  the  shape  of 
definite  orders  for  its  execution.  The  President  simply  directed 
that  the  plans  should  be  taken  to  General  Scott,  who  was  to  be 
told  that  he  "  wished  this  thing  done,"  and  that  there  must  be  no 
failure  unless  he  refused  something  asked  for  as  necessary. 
Prompt  and  immediate  action  was  now  taken.  This  same  Sunday 
afternoon  the  officers  mentioned  submitted  their  plans  to  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Scott,  who  after  some  discussion  approved  them, 
and  undertook  to  give  the  necessary  orders  at  once.  At  the  latter 
part  of  this  interview  Secretary  Seward  was  present. 

On  the  ist  of  April  Lieutenant  Porter  was  sent  for  by  the 
Secretary  of  State.  He  reported  to  him  upon  the  same  day,  when 
the  Secretary  informed  him  that  it  had  been  determined  to  save 
Fort  Pickens,  and  asked  if  it  were  yet  possible.  Lieutenant  Porter 
replied  that  it  was  possible,  but  that  it  was  essential  to  adopt  a 
very  unusual  course. 

The  plan  submitted  by  Captain  Meigs  was  again  gone  over  by 
Lieutenant  Porter,  who  urged  its  adoption  upon  the  Secretary,  at 
the  same  time  explaining  the  naval  details  involved. 

The  Secretary  was  assured  that,  however  practicable  the 
scheme  might  be,  it  would  be  found  to  be  impossible  if  the  war 
vessel  should  be  fitted  out  in  the  usual  way.  In  that  event  the 
orders  must  pass  through  the  ordinary  channels  of  the  Navy 
Department.  As  many  of  the  clerks  were  suspected  of  secession 
sympathies,  the  news  would  be  communicated  and  the  fort  would 
be  taken,  So  he  proposed  to  the  Secretary  that  the  Powhatan^ 


4io 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


then  lying  at  the  Navy  Yard  at  New  York,  should  at  once  be  fit- 
ted out  "by  a.  secret  order  of  the  President."  So  much  impres- 
sed was  the  Secretary  by  the  proposition  of  Lieutenant  Porter, 
that  he  proposed  to  him  to  see  the  President,  and  in  company  with 
Captain  Meigs  they  proceeded  to  the  Executive  mansion.  The 
President  entered  heartily  into  the  scheme — with  which  he  was  now 
familiar,  after  his  conversation  with  Captain  Meigs — and  readily 
endorsed  all  the  plans  proposed.  Recognizing  the  fact  that  the 
procedure  involved  an  ignoring  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  he 
thought  that  he  could  overcome  that  objection.  .  No  allusion  was 
made  to  any  other  expedition  whatever,  involving  the  use  of  the 
Pmuhatan,  as  none  such  had  yet  been  authorized,  while  the  ship 
had  been  named  and  her  use  recommended  by  Captain  Meigs  in 
his  interview  with  the  President.  The  proposal  of  Lieutenant 
Porter  was  naturally  warmly  supported  by  Captain  Meigs,  who  had 
originally  proposed  it.  To  him  was  committed  the  duty  of  accom- 
panying the  expedition  as  engineer  officer,  his  rank  not  being  suffi- 
cient to  command,  while  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Keyes  was  con- 
fided the  preparation  in  New  York  of  the  direct  military  details 
of  the  expedition.  The  orders  to  Lieutenant  Porter  directed  him 
to  proceed  with  all  despatch  to  the  harbor  of  Pensacola  in  the 
steamship  Powhatan,  to  run  into  the  harbor  with  his  ship,  to  pre- 
vent any  expedition-  from  crossing  to  attack  Fort  Pickens,  to 
cover  the  landing  of  reinforcements,  and  to  remain  and  protect  the 
fort  with  his  guns. 

But  Captain  Mercer  was  still  in  command  of  the  Powhatan. 
It  now  became  necessary  to  detach  him,  when  the  following  letter 
was  written  by  Lieutenant  Porter  and  signed  by  the  President. 

"Sm:  You  will,  on  receipt  of  this  order  turn  over  the  com- 
mand of  your  vessel  to  Lieutenant  David  D.  Porter,  who  is  to 
proceed  in  her  on  an  important  service. 

"  In  depriving  you  of  your  command  of  your  vessel  I  do  not 
desire  in  the  least  to  reflect  upon  your  zeal  or  patriotism;  on  the 
contrary,  I  have  the  fullest  confidence  in  your  ability  to  perform 
the  duty  in  question.  There  are  reasons,  however,  which  make 
it  necessary  for  the  officer  who  goes  in  command  of  the  ship  to 
be  well  informed  personally  of  my  views  and  wishes,  and  time 
will  not  admit  of  the  delay  necessary  to  communicate  with  you 
personally. 

"Having  to  give  up  your  command,  I  can  assure  you  that 
you  may  ask  of  me  the  command  of  any  other  vessel,  which  will 
be  freely  given  to  you.  (Signed)  "ABRAHAM  LINCOLN," 


DETAILS  OF  THE  EXPEDITION.  411 

But  it  became  equally  necessary  that  the  commandant  of  the 
New  York  Navy  Yard  should  be  informed  of  the  new  command, 
of  the  Powhatan,  and  of  the  urgent  despatch  and  secrecy  required, 
when  the  following  despatch  was  written  by  Lieutenant  Porter, 
and  also  signed  by  the  President: 

"Sm:  Lieutenant  David  D.  Porter  is  directed  by  me  to  assume 
command  of  the  United  States  frigate  Powhatan,  and  goes  on 
important  duty,  which  it  is  desirable  he  should  accomplish 
without  delay,  and  you  will,  therefore,  give  him  every  aid  in  fit- 
ting out  the  vessel.  The  duty  is  to  be  performed  with  the 
greatest  secrecy. 

(Signed)         "ABRAHAM  LINCOLN." 

This  was  an  extraordinary  course  to  pursue,  and  only  to  be 
justified  by  the  exigency  and  the  high  source  that  directed  it,  and 
from  which  there  was  no  appeal.  These  communications  were 
both  committed  to  Lieutenant  Porter,  to  be  delivered  in  person 
to  the  officer  addressed,  and  it  was  thus,  under  two  distinct  sources 
of  authority,  unknown  to  each  other,  and  both  entitled  to  obedience 
and  respect,  that  the  Powhatan  was  made  ready  for  sea  service. 

But  before  proceeding  to  fit  out  the  expedition,  it  became 
necessary  to  arrange  for  the  funds  requisite  to  carry  it  forward, 
and  a  difficulty  presented  itself  which  threatened  to  postpone,  if  not 
to  prevent  entirely,  the  success  of  the  expedition.  Congress  had 
adjourned  without  making  provision  for  any  military  or  naval  se- 
cret-service fund  for  those  departments.  The  expedition  proposed 
was  an  extraordinary  one,  and  its  incidental  expenses  must  be  met 
by  funds  for  such  service.  There  were  funds  for  ordinary  expenses, 
with  open  accounts,  but  to  use  them  publicly  would  be  to  make 
known  and  render  futile  the  proposed  expedition. 

There  was  but  one  officer  of  the  Government  who  had  at  his 
command  any  secret-service  fund,  and  this  was  the  Secretary  of 
State.  He  was  in  possession  of  a  fund  which  he  was  entitled  to 
expend  for  secret  purposes.  Of  such  expenditure  no  record  was 
to  be  made.  According  to  law,  the  moneys  were  to  be  paid,  and 
the  approval  of  the  President  settled  the  account.  An  entry  of 
the  President's  sanction  and  order  was  the  only  record  made  of 
the  transaction.  When,  therefore,  upon  the  statement  of  Captain 
Meigs,  that  $10,000  would  be  required,  the  Secretary  of  State 
proceeded  to  his  Department,  procured  the  amount  in  coin,  and 
for  greater  privacy  went  to  his  own  residence  and  there  trans- 
ferred the  sum  to  Captain  Meigs,  who  gave  his  receipt  for  it  and. 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

for  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  expedition,  turning  over  to 
Colonel  Keyes  and  Lieutenant  Porter  the  sums  necessary  for 
their  immediate  use.  The  expedition  itself  was  fitted  out  by  the 
Quartermaster's  Department,  Colonel  Keyes  conducting  the  nego- 
tiations for  the  hire  of  the  steamer,  while  the  charter-party  was 
executed  by  the  Department  quartermaster.  The  Atlantic  was 
to  go  at  once,  other  vessels  were  to  follow,  and  the  safety  of  the 
forts  in  the  Gulf  was  to  be  assured.  On  the  conclusion  of  the 
expedition,  Captain  Meigs  returned  to  the  Government  the 
unexpended  balance  of  the  fund  entrusted  to  him,  amounting  to 
nearly  $6,000. 

On  the  ist  of  April  Lieutenant  Porter  left  for  New  York,  under 
the  general  public  impression  that  he  was  en  route  for  California. 
Captain  Meigs  followed  the  next  day.  Upon  the  morning  of  the 
zd  Lieutenant  Porter  reported  in  person  to  the  acting  commandant 
of  the  Navy  Yard  (Foote),  and  presented  to  him  the  orders  of  the 
President.  That  officer  was  naturally  "very  much  astonished  " 
at  a  proceeding  so  unusual  and  so  contrary  to  all  naval  and  official 
precedent;  and  even  the  name  and  signature  of  the  President 
failed  to  reconcile  him,  nor  did  he  inform  Lieutenant  Porter  of 
the  order  he  had  received  and  acknowledged,  at  7  p.  M.  the 
previous  day  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to  refit  the  Pow- 
hatan  with  "the  quickest  despatch,"  which  had  been  repeated 
by  telegram  twice  upon  that  day. 

The  commandant  hesitated  to  obey  the  order  of  the  President, 
and  insisted  upon  telegraphing  to  the  Secretary  for  instructions.* 
But  the  secrecy  of  the  orders,  and  their  high  source,  was  insisted 
upon;  the  particulars  of  the  enterprise  were  all  made  known  to 
him  before  he  would  consent;  and  after  a  deliberation  of  two 
hours,  the  commandant  at  last  concluded  to  act.  The  ship  was 
at  that  moment  all  dismantled.  She  had  been  surveyed,  and  pro- 
nounced unseaworthy;  her  boilers  were  worn  out,  her  hull  was  rot- 
ten, her  machinery  was  all  apart,  her  stores  had  been  removed, 
her  crew  transferred  to  the  receiving  ship,  and  her  officers  allowed 
to  go  home.  The  captain  was  the  only  officer  who  remained, 
and  he  was  anticipating  his  detachment.  The  commandant  pro- 
nounced the  ship  unfit  to  go,  but  it  was  impossible  to  delay,  and 

*  "  Porter,  these  are  ticklish  times.  How  do  I  know  that  you  are  not  going 
to  run  off  with  the  ship?  I  must  telegraph  immediately  to  the  Secretary," 
—Admiral  Porter  to  author. 


* '  PO  WHA  TAN ' '  FITTED  FOR  $&A.  4  \  $ 

Lieutenant  Porter  resolved  to  take  her  as  she  was.  It  now  be- 
came necessary  to  inform  the  captain  of  the  ship  of  the  inten- 
tions of  the  President,  and  to  admit  him  into  the  confidence  of  the 
transaction.  The  letter  of  the  President  gratified  him,  and  he 
had  no  regrets  that  the  course  of  events  had  excluded  him  from 
an  active  participation  in  the  expedition.  He  thought  the  ship  un- 
fit for  service,  and  that  she  would  be  knocked  to  pieces  in  going 
into  Pensacola;  but  he  at  once  took  charge  of  the  refitting  of  the 
ship,  recalled  his  officers  and  laid  in  the  necessary  stores,  as  if 
personally  concerned.  The  Pnvhatan  was  fitted  for  sea  with  a 
rapidity  that  was  wholly  unprecedented.  The  work  was  pushed 
by  night  and  by  day,  and  it  is  probable  that  no  such  task  was  ever 
accomplished  in  less  time;  when  on  the  evening  of  the  5th  of 
April  the  commandant  of  the  yard  was  enabled  to  report  to  the 
Secretary  that  she  was  ready,  and  would  leave  her  berth  on  the 
following  morning  and  await  his  orders. 

Meantime,  Lieutenant  Porter  had  not  shown  himself  at  the 
Navy  Yard  or  at  the  ship,  and  his  connection  with  her  remained 
generally  unknown.  When  the  ship  was  ready,  his  luggage  was 
sent  on  board  marked  "  American  Minister,  Vera  Cruz,"  which 
seemed  to  decide  the  destination  of  the  ship.  The  commandant 
had  apprised  the  Secretary  of  the  visit  of  Captain  Meigs  to  him, 
and  the  authority  of  the  Government  he  bore,  to  make  certain 
preparations  and  to  ship  certain  articles.  The  orders  did  not 
come  directly  to  him,  but  he  had  gone  on  with  the  preparations 
desired,  in  order  to  save  time,  and  would  report  his  action,  and 
that  he  was  executing  orders  received  from  the  Government 
through  both  Navy  and  Army  officers. 

It  would  appear,  from  the  communication  made  to  the  Navy 
Department  by  the  commandant,  that  something  unusual  was 
in  progress  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  but  it  does  not  seem 
that  any  suspicion  was  awakened  in  the  mind  of  the  Secretary 
that  the  destination  of  the  Powhatan  was  other  than  that  intended 
and  ordered  by  him,  until  she  was  reported  as  ' '  ready  to  sail ' ' 
and  awaiting  his  orders.  He  now  determined  to  retain  the  ship, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  he  transmitted  a  telegram  person- 
ally to  the  commandant  in  New  York,  directing  him  to  delay  the 
Powhatan  for  further  instructions.  The  receipt  of  this  telegram 
produced  so  decided  an  impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  com- 
mandant that  he  determined  that  it  was  his  duty  to  obey  the  last 


414  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

order,  but  the  President's  order  and  signature  was  again  shown 
to  him,  and  insisted  upon  by  Lieutenant  Porter  as  taking  pre- 
cedence, notwithstanding  the  priority  of  date.  The  captain  of 
the  ship  had  come  to  a  similar  decision,  and  felt  obliged  to  give 
up  the  command.  Captain  Meigs  was  of  a  similar  opinion,  and  it 
was  determined  that  the  ship  should  sail  on  that  day,  the  6th,  at 
i  o'clock.  Upon  the  receipt  of  the  Secretary's  telegram,  both 
Lieutenant  Porter  and  Captain  Meigs  put  themselves  in  communi- 
cation with  the  Secretary  of  State.  Lieutenant  Porter  informed  him 
that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  had  altered  the  destination  of  the 
Powhatan,  and  asked  whether  this  or  the  President's  order  was 
to  be  obeyed.  If  the  former,  Colonel  Brown  would  be  "  entirely 
crippled."  The  following  telegram  was  sent  to  the  Secretary  of 

State  by  Captain  Meigs: 

"NEW  YORK,  April  5,  1861. 
"  HON.  W.  H.  SEWARD: 

"  Powhatan  was  ready  to  sail  at  6  P.  M.;  telegram  received 
by  Captain  Foote,  commandant  of  Navy  Yard,  to  detain.  First, 
disobedience  of  orders,  came  through  Stringham;  second,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy.  President's  orders  were  to  sail  as  soon  as 
ready.  This  is  fatal;  what  is  to  be  done?  Answer  no  Astor 
House. 

"M.  C.  MEIGS." 

But  without  awaiting  a  reply,  it  was  determined  that  the  ship 
should  sail  that  evening,  notwithstanding  the  receipt  of  a  telegram 
from  the  Navy  Department  that  an  officer  would  deliver  a 
despatch,  and  accordingly,  at  i  o'clock  P.  M.  on  the  6th,  she  left 
her  moorings  with  Captain  Mercer  in  command — and  with  Lieu- 
tenant Porter  unseen  and  unknown,  seated  in  the  stateroom  of 
the  captain — and  steamed  down  the  harbor.  When  opposite 
Staten  Island  the  engines  stopped,  and  sending  for  the  ship's 
First  Lieutenant,  Captain  Mercer  introduced  him  to  Lieutenant 
Porter  as  the  future  commander  of  the  ship,  and  putting  on  citizen's 
dress,  went  at  once  ashore.  Directing  the  executive  officer  not  to 
mention  his  presence  until  the  pilot  had  left  the  ship,  Lieutenant 
Porter  remained  in  his  stateroom.  The  Powhatan  had  hardly 
left  to  go  down  the  harbor  when  a  telegram  from  the  Secretary  of 
State  arrived  for  Lieutenant  Porter.  The  commandant  of  the 
Navy  Yard  at  once  despatched  an  officer  to  employ  a  fast  vessel 
in  New  York  and  go  in  pursuit,  and  the  ship  was  only  just  under 
way  again  after  the  departure  of  Captain  Mercer,  when  a  small 


LIEUTENANT  PORTER  SAILS  IN  "POWHA  TAN:'    4 1 5 

but  swift  steamer  was  seen  approaching,  and  making  signals  that 
she  desired  to  commuaicate  with  her.  Again  the  engines  stopped, 
when  an  officer  went  on  board  and  delivered  to  Lieutenant  Porter 
the  following  telegraphic  despatch: 

'  <  Deliver  up  the  Powhatan  to  Captain  Mercer. 

(Signed)  "  W.  H.  SEWARD." 

Porter  at  once  replied: 

"  I  have  received  orders  from  the  President  which  I  carmot 
disobey;"  and  at  the  same  time  he  transmitted  a  verbal  message 
to  Commander  Foote,  that  he  regretted  that  the  despatch  came 
too  late  to  change  his  plans,  as  the  Atlantic,  which  he  was  to  con- 
voy, had  already  gone  to  sea. 

The  telegram  and  message  were  committed  to  the  officer,  who 
left  the  ship,  which  proceeded  immediately  and  rapidly  to  sea. 

Meanwhile  a  change  in  the  relative  condition  of  things  at  Pen- 
sacola  had  taken  place,  which  from  its  very  nature  could  not  be 
known  to  Lieutenant  Porter,  now  coming  in  the  Powhatan.  Lieu- 
tenant Slemmer,  the  commandant  of  Fort  Pickens,  believing  that 
an  attack  upon  him  was  threatened,  had  officially  applied  for  assist- 
ance on  the  1 2th  of  April.  He  was  yet  in  correspondence  with 
Captain  H.  A.  Adams,  of  the  Sabine,  as  to  the  necessity,  when 
Lieutenant  Worden,  of  the  Navy,  arrived  from  Washington  with 
the  renewed  order  to  land  the  company  of  artillery,  which  was  at 
once  accomplished,  and  had  thus  partially  reinforced  the  fort  six 
days  after  the  sailing  of  the  Atlantic. 

That  ship,  with  the  troops  and  material  under  Colonel  Harvey 
Brown,  with  Captain  Meigs  on  board  as  the  engineer  to  the  expe- 
dition, had  arrived  on  the  i6th,  and  her  stores  were  being  rapidly 
landed,  when  on  the  morning  of  the  iyth  the  Powhatan  hove  in 
sight  off  the  harbor. 

The  situation  had  wholly  changed,  and  Colonel  Brown,  the 
officer  now  in  command,  naturally  considered  that  the  entrance 
at  this  time  of  a  ship  of  war  into  the  channel  would  bring  on  a 
collision  which  might  threaten  the  success  of  4iis  operations. 

He  therefore  directed  Captain  Meigs  to  hail  and  board  the 
Powhatan,  and  inform  its  commander  of  the  exact  status  of  things. 
Meantime  Porter  was  coming  in  rapidly  with  his  ship,  which  he 
had  disguised  as  a  British  man-of-war,  her  thick  smoke  from  soft 
coal  aiding  in  misleading  as  to  her  nationality.  He  had  hoisted 


416  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  British  colors,  intending  to  run  in  with  them  under  the  enemy's 
guns,  and  then  to  display  the  national  flag,  and  he  was  making 
directly  for  the  channel  upon  which  bore  the  guns  of  Forts 
McRae  and  Barrancas.  His  port  battery  was  ready  for  action, 
his  extra  ports  being  filled  with  guns,  when  Meigs  in  the 
Wyandotte  appeared,  making  constant  signals.  Disregarding 
these,  Porter  changed  his  course  to  avoid  them,  when  the  Wyan- 
dotte was  thrown  across  the  ship's  path,  and  Porter  reluctantly 
stopped.  Meigs  boarded  at  once,  when  the  new  situation  was 
explained.  Lieutenant  Porter  yielded,  and  soon  after  brought 
his  ship  to  anchor  near  the  Atlantic  to  cover  the  landing  of  her 
stores. 

With  the  men  and  stores  from  the  Atlantic,  Fort  Pickens  had 
now  been  reinforced  and  supplied,  and  the  valuable  harbor  of 
Pensacola  thus  saved  to  the  nation. 

The  fleet  intended  for  the  relief  of  Sumter  had  now  put  to 
sea.  Before  it  sailed,  it  had  been  suggested  by  Captain  Fox  "  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to  place  Commodore  Stringham  in  com- 
mand of  the  naval  force,'  but  that  officer  thought  it  now  too  late 
to  succeed,  and  that  it  would  jeopardize  the  reputation  of  the 
officer  who  should  undertake  it,  and  the  fleet  sailed  without  any 
instructions  and  without  a  head.  Captain  Mercer,  when  relieved 
from  his  ship  by  the  President'-s  order,  wisely  transmitted  a  copy 
of  the  secret  orders  to  him  from  the  Navy  Department  of  the  5th 
instant,  through  Captain  Faunce,  of  the  Harriet  Lane,  direct- 
ing him  at  the  same  time  to  report  to  the  senior  naval  officer  he 
might  find  off  Charleston.  The  Harriet  Lane  sailed  on  the  8th, 
and  was  the  first  to  arrive  off  Charleston  bar;  the  tugs  Uncle  Ben 
and  Yankee,  together  with  the  transport  Baltic,  with  the  troops 
and  material  on  board,  dropped  down  to  Sandy  Hook  on  the 
same  day,  and  went  to  sea  on  the  pth  at  8  A.  M.  The  Pawnee 
sailed  promptly  on  the  pth,  the  Pocahontas  only  on  the  loth.  She 
was  the  last  to  sail  and  the  last  to  arrive.  Captain  Fox,  in  charge 
of  the  expedition,  embarked  on  board  of  the  transport  Baltic  with 
First  Lieutenant  Edw.  McK.  Hudson,  Fourth  Artillery,  in  com- 
mand of  the  troops,  with  First  Lieutenants  R.  O.  Tyler,  Third  Ar- 
tillery and  C.  W.  Thomas,  of  the  First  Infantry  regiment,  as  sub- 
ordinates. Hardly  had  the  fleet  got  off  the  coast  when  it  encoun- 
tered a  heavy  northeast  gale,  which  continued  during  the  passage. 
Before  daylight  on  the  i2th,  the  rendezvous  agreed  upon  was 


FLEE  T  ARRIVES  OFF  CHARLESTON  HA RBOR.         4 1  7 

reached  off  the  Charleston  bar.  The  Harriet  Lane  had 
already  arrived,  but  at  6  A.  M.  the  Pawnee  was  seen,  and  shortly 
after  was  boarded  by  Captain  Fox,  who  then  informed  Com- 
mander Rowan  of  his  orders  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  re- 
quested him  '  <  to  stand  in  for  the  bar ' '  with  him.  This  that 
officer  declined  to  do.  He  replied  that  his  orders  required 
him  to  remain  "  ten  miles  east  of  the  light  and  await  the  Pow- 
hatan,  and  that  he  was  not  going  in  there  to  begin  civil  war."* 
The  Baltic  then  went  in,  followed  by  the  Harriet  Lane.  As 
they  approached  the  land,  the  firing  of  the  guns  at  Sumter  was 


PARAPET  OF  GORGE  TOWARDS  CUMMINGS  POINT,  PAGE  433. 


heard,  and  the  smoke  and  shells  of  the  batteries  "  were  distinctly 
visible."  Commander  Rowan  having  received  his  orders 
by  the  Harriet  Lane,  was  now  coming  in  with  his  ship. 
Comprehending  at  once  the  situation,  he  asked  for  a  pilot,  and 
announced  his  intention  of  running  in  and  sharing  the  fate  of  the 
garrison.  Captain  Fox  went  at  once  on  board,  and  explained  to 
him  "  that  the  Government  did  not  expect  such  gallant  sacrifice" 


*  Contributions  of  the  old  Residents'  Historical  Association,  Lowell,  Mass. 
Vol.  u,  No.  i,  p.  48. 


4i  8  THE  GENESIS  OP  THE  CIVIL  W 'A R. 

in  the  instructions  given  either  to  Captain  Mercer  or  to  himself. 
The  1 2th  passed  without  the  arrival  of  any  other  vessels  of  the 
fleet;  some  merchant  vessels  lingered  about  the  rendezvous,  giving 
indication  of  a  large  naval  fleet  off  the  bar.  Anticipating  the 
arrival  of  the  Powhatan  during  the  night,  and  yet  ignorant  of  her 
change  of  destination,  Captain  Fox  returned  in  the  Baltic  to  the 
rendezvous  and  signalled  for  her  all  night.  Neither  the  Pawnee 
nor  the  Harriet  Lane  was  furnished  with  the  proper  boats  to 
carry  in  supplies  or  troops  to  the  fort,  when  Lieutenant  Tyler,  a 
zealous  and  efficient  officer  attached  to  the  troops,  organized  a 
boat's  crew,  and  notwithstanding  the  heavy  sea  prepared  them  for 
service,  that  there  might  be  "at  least  one  boat  by  which  to  reach 
Sumter."  The  ground  swell  was  so  heavy  that  the  Baltic,  in 
steaming  towards  the  harbor,  ran  aground  on  Rattlesnake  Shoals, 
and  was  subsequently  obliged  to  anchor  in  deep  water,  several 
miles  away  from  the  ships  of  war. 

The  bombardment  was  now  at  its  height;  the  quarters  were  in 
flames,  and  the  flash  of  Anderson's  guns  could  be  distinctly  seen 
from  the  fleet  as  he  strove  to  reply  to  the  enemy's  fire,  his  guns 
sounding  like  signals  of  distress.  There  was  no  movement  for 
his  relief,  "as  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  officers  that  loaded  boats 
could  not  reach  Sumter  in  such  a  heavy  sea."  None  of  the  tug- 
boats had  arrived,  when  a  schooner  loaded  with  ice  was  seized  and 
preparations  made  to  use  her  in  lieu  of  them  on  "  the  following 
night."  At  2  o'clock,  the  Pocahontas  at  last  arrived.  The  flag- 
staff of  the  fort  had  been  shot  away  at  1:30  p.  M.  and  the  firing 
shortly  afterward  ceased.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  this  day  that, 
for  the  first  time,  Captain  Fox  was  apprised  that  the  captain  of 
the  Pmi'hatan  had  informed  Commander  Rowan,  on  the  6th,  of  the 
special  service  of  the  ship  elsewhere,  under  superior  authority. 
Although  the  Baltic  did  not  leave  New  York  until  two  days  after- 
ward, no  information  of  this  fact  was  communicated  to  Captain 
Fox.  Upon  his  arrival  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Pocahon- 
tas manifested  every  disposition  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the  fort 
and  to  attempt  to  pass  the  batteries,  "  as  the  impulse  was  strong 
to  render  assistance;"  but  there  were  no  pilots  for  the  channel  on 
board.  The  buoys  and  marks  had  all  been  removed,  and  he 
feared  that  his  ship  would  run  aground.  Preparations  were  made, 
however,  under  a  proposition  of  Captain  Fox  and  Lieutenant 
Hudson,  to  run  provisions  and  some  men  into  Sumter  that  night  in 


FAILURE  OF  THE  "FLEET*    EXPEDITION.-          41  g 

the  schooner,  accompanied  by  boats  containing  some  of  the  ship's 
crew,  but  the  cessation  of  the  firing,  and  the  arrangements  for  the 
evacuation  soon  after,  rendered  the  attempt  unnecessary. 

The  northeast  gale  that  had  detained  the  war  ships  had  been 
equally  severe  upon  the  tugs.  The  owners  of  the  tug  Freeborn 
prevented  her  leaving  New  York  at  all.  "The  Uncle  Ben  was 
driven  into  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  and  seized  by  the  rebels."*  The 
gale  drove  the  tug  Yankee  to  the  entrance  of  Savannah,  and  she 
repassed  Charleston  only  after  the  transport  Baltic  had  returned  to 
the  North.  Thus  almost  every  element  that  was  essential  to  the 
success  of  the  expedition  was  wanting.  As  it  failed,  it  is  impossible 
to  estimate  what  might  otherwise  have  been  the  result.  The 
secrecy  of  the  instructions  which  required  the  different  use  of  the 
P&whatan  had  been  so  carefully  observed  that  Captain  Fox  had 
depended  upon  her  as  the  flag-ship  of  the  little  fleet,  and  her 
detachment,  in  his  estimation,  largely  increased  the  risk  of 
failure.  But  it  was  all  too  late — too  late  in  conception,  too  late  in 
execution;  mainly  due  to  the  political  exigency  that  existed. 
Much  was  left  to  hazard,  and  the  information  sent  to  the  authori- 
ties in  Charleston  of  the  intention  of  the  Government  at  once  pre- 
cipitated the  collision.  Had  the  Powhatan  remained  with  the 
fleet,  her  usefulness,  even  had  she  arrived  in  time,  is  questionable. 
She  could  not  pass  the  bar,  drawing  as  she  did  twenty-one  feet, 
and  her  boats,  so  much  relied  upon,  were  worthless  for  service,  and 
swamped  when  put  into  the  water.  Had  she  lost  a  man  overboard, 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  save  him  by  her  boats.  The 
storm  dispersed  the  tugs  when  the  conditions  for  their  use  were 
most  urgent,  and  the  Pocahontas  arrived  only  in  time  to  witness 
the  surrender. 

In  thus  taking  the  Powhatan,  it  is  certain  that  the  Presi- 
dent and  the  Secretary  of  State  were  not  aware  of  any  intention 
or  action  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  regard  to  her.  There 
was  no  desire  to  slight  either  the  War  or  Navy  departments. 
They  were  yet  in  an  unorganized  condition  and  the  Secretary  of 
State  did  not  even  trust  his  own  Department,  and  nothing  at  that 
time  was  more  natural  than  to  conceal,  as  far  as  possible,  an 
important  transaction  whose  success  depended  upon  its  secrecy; 
but  why  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  chosen  and  trusted  coun- 


*  Captain  Fox's  statement. 


42O  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

seller  of  the  President  should  have  been  included  in  this  determi- 
nation, is  not  so  clear,  unless  the  reasons  previously  given  should 
fully  account  for  it.  The  Secretary  of  State  had  not  favored 
the  expedition.  He  had  believed  that  it  would  bring  on  a  collision 
and  inaugurate  war.  He  had,  however,  no  idea  of  thwarting  the 
Secretary -of  the  Navy,  for  upon  the  demand  of  that  official  he 
made  every  effort  to  transfer  the  ship  to  him. 

The  President  himself  was  surprised  at  the  confusion  resulting 
from  the  conflicting  orders  emanating  from  the  Navy  Department 
and  himself,  but  while  regretting  the  failure  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter, 
he  was  gratified  at  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Pickens,  and 
rewarded  the  officers  connected  with  the  expedition.  At  the  same 
time,  he  was  not  without  misgivings  lest  he  should  have  done 
injustice  to  a  gallant  officer,  and  with  characteristic  generosity 
he  assumed  the  responsibility,  and  transmitted  to  Captain  Fox  the 
following  communication: 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  May  i,  1861. 
"  CAPTAIN  G.  V.  Fox. 

"  My  Dear  Sir:  I  sincerely  regret  that  the  failure  of  the 
late  attempt  to  provision  Fort  Sumter  should  be  the  source  of 
any  annoyance  to  you.  The  practicability  of  your  plan  was  not, 
in  fact,  brought  to  a  test. 

"  By  reason  of  a  gale,  well  known  in  advance  to  be  possible, 
and  not  improbable,  the  tugs,  an  essential  part  of  the  plan,  never 
reached  the  ground,  while  by  an  accident,  for  which  you  were  in 
nowise  responsible,  and  possibly  I  to  some  extent  was,  you  were 
deprived  of  a  war  vessel,  with  her  men,  which  you  deemed  of 
great  importance  to  the  enterprise.  I  most  cheerfully  and  truly 
declare  that  the  failure  of  the  undertaking  has  not  lowered  you  a 
particle,  while  the  qualities  you  developed  in  the  effort  have 
greatly  heightened  you,  in  my  estimation.  For  a  daring  and 
dangerous  enterprise  of  a  similar  character  you  would  to-day  be 
the  man  of  all  my  acquaintances  whom  I  would  select.  You  and 
I  both  anticipated  that  the  cause  of  the  country  would  be 
advanced  by  making  the  attempt  to  provision  Fort  Sumter,  even 
if  it  should  fail;  and  it  is  no  small  consolation  now  to  feel  that 
our  anticipation  is  justified  by  the  result. 

"  Very  truly,  your  friend, 

"A.  LINCOLN." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Effect  of  notice  of  President  upon  authorities  in  Charleston— Their  action- 
Reply  of  Montgomery  Government — Demand  for  the  immediate  surrender 
of  the  fort — Anderson's  reply — Verbal  statement  to  the  messenger — Re- 
ported to  Montgomery — Reply  of  Confederate  Secretary  of  War — Anderson 
declines  its  terms — Bombardment  opened  on  morning  of  the  1 2th  of  April — 
Description  of  the  fire  of  the  batteries — Maintained  all  day — Mortar  fire  all 
night — Sumter  opens  fire  at  7  o'clock — Service  of  its  batteries — Effect 
of  the  enemy's  fire  upon  the  fort — Fleet  arrives — Men  withdrawn  from  the 
batteries  at  night. 

THE  intention  of  the  President  to  attempt  relief  to  Fort  Sum- 
ter, as  made  known  to  the  authorities  at  Charleston,  produced  an 
effect  and  action  immediate  and  decided.  A  telegram  was  at 
once  despatched  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War  by  the 
general  commanding  at  Charleston,  informing  him  of  the  arrival 
of  the  messenger  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  of 
his  purpose  to  provision  Fort  Sumter  "  peaceably  if  they  can, 
forcibly  if  they  must."  The  receipt  of  the  telegram  gave  rise  to 
an  extended  discussion  in  the  Confederate  Cabinet.  While  it 
was  under  discussion  Mr.  Toombs,  the  Secretary  of  State,  came 
in,  when  the  telegram  was  handed  to  him.  Upon  reading  it,  he 
said,  "  The  firing  upon  that  fort  will  inaugurate  a  civil  war  greater 
than  any  the  world  has  yet  seen;  and  I  do  not  feel  competent  to 
advise  you."*  Any  reply  to  the  telegram  was  delayed  until  the 
morning  of  the  loth,  when  the  following  despatch  was  sent  to  the 
general  commanding  at  Charleston: 

"  If  you  have  no  doubt  of  the  authorized  character  of  the 
agent  who  communicated  to  you  the.  intention  of  the  Washington 
Government  to  supply  Fort  Sumter  by  force,  you  will  at  once 
demand  its  evacuation  and,  if  this  is  refused,  proceed  in  such 
manner  as  you  may  determine  to  reduce  it.  Answer. 

«L.  P.  WALKER." 

To  this  the  commanding  general  immediately  replied  that  the 
demand  would  be  made  at  12  o'clock  upon  the  following  day 

*  L,  P.  Walker  to  writer. 

421 


422  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

(nth  April).  But  the  authorities  at  Montgomery  considered 
that  unless  there  were  "  special  reasons  "  connected  with  his 
own  condition,  the  demand  should  be  made  earlier.  The 
reasons  were  "special,"  although  not  communicated.  The 
supply  of  powder  on  hand  was  insufficient  for  more  than  a  few 
hours'  bombardment,  and  the  commanding  general  was  unwilling 
to  open  his  batteries  unless  with  a  supply  on  hand  to  last  him 
for  forty-eight  hours.  Such  supply  had  been  contracted  for  in 
Augusta,  Ga. ,  and  only  arrived  that  evening. 

The  action  of  the  Montgomery  Cabinet  was  unavoidable,  and, 
in  a  manner,  forced  upon  it.  The  current  of  events  had  set 
manifestly  towards  the  near  commencement  of  hostilities,  but  it 
was  hoped  by  those  in  favor  of  a  peaceful  settlement  that  some- 
thing might  yet  be  gained  by  delay.  A  large  number  of  influen- 
tial men  had  not  yet  defined  their  position.  In  the  harbor  of 
Charleston  the  preparations  for  an  attack  were  not  complete, 
and  the  Confederate  Commissioners  were  yet  in  Washington. 
But  the  communication  of  the  President  precipitated  the  issue, 
and  forced  it  to  an  unavoidable  conclusion.  The  temper  of 
South  Carolina  was  well  known.  Her  people  had  long  chafed 
under  the  restraint  that  prevented  her  from  taking  possession  of 
a  fort  that  controlled  her  principal  harbor,  and,  through  her 
Governor,  her  Legislature  and  her  Convention,  had  again  and 
again  asserted  her  anxious  desire  and  her  deliberate  purpose. 
Hesitation  now  upon  the  part  of  the  Governor,  to  which  she  had 
entrusted  this  vital  interest,  would  have  been  fatal.  The  antici- 
pation too  that  the  State  would  herself  act — and  thus  inaugurate 
separate  State  action,  which,  if  followed  by  the  other  seceded 
States  would  have  thrown  the  new  Confederacy  into  confusion  at 
its  very  birth — greatly  influenced  the  action  of  the  Government 
at  Montgomery.  The  end  had  been  reached,  and  the  demand  for 
the  immediate  surrender  of  the  fort  was  now  to  be  made  with  all 
the  formality  and  authority  of  the  Confederate  Government. 
Shortly  after  noon  on  the  nth  of  April  a  boat  flying  a  white  flag 
pushed  off  from  a  wharf  in  Charleston,  and  made  its  way  down 
the  harbor  towards  Fort  Sumter.  In  her  stern  sat  three  men. 
They  were  :  Colonel  James  Chesnut,  recently  United  States 
Senator  from  South  Carolina;  Captain  Stephen  D.  Lee,  a  gradu- 
ate of  West  Point,  who  had  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
United  States  Army,  and  who,  with  his  companion,  was  an  A.  D.  C, 


SURRENDER  OF  FORT  SUMTER  DEMANDED.         423 

of  the  commanding  general.  The  third  was  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Chisholm,  an  aide-de-camp  and  representative  of  the  Governor 
of  the  State.  At  half-past  three  the  boat  arrived  at  Fort  Sumter, 
where  it  was  met  by  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Davis,  the  officer  of  the 
day,  and  its  occupants  at  once  conducted  to  the  guard-room, 
where  they  were  met  by  Major  Anderson  in  person.  The  object 
of  the  visit  was  soon  declared.  They  bore  a  communication  from 
the  Confederate  general  to  Major  Anderson  demanding  the 
evacuation  of  the  work.  Believing,  he  said,  that  an  amicable 
settlement  would  be  reached,  and  to  avert  war,  the  Confederate 
Government  had  made  no  demand  for  its  surrender,  but  they 
could  now  no  longer  refrain,  and  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  his 
Government  he  demanded  the  evacuation  of  the  work.  His  aides 
were  authorized  to  make  such  a  demand.  "  All  proper  facilities 
will  be  afforded  for  the  removal  of  yourself  and  command,  together 
with  company  arms  and  property,  and  all  private  property,  to  any 
post  in  the  United  States  you  may  select.  The  flag  which  you 
have  upheld  so  long,  and  with  so  much  fortitude,  under  the  most 
trying  circumstances,  may  be  saluted  by  you  on  taking  it  down." 
Anderson  at  once  summoned  his  officers,  who  gathered  in  silence 
around  him,  when  he  announced  to  them  that  he  had  a  communi- 
cation to  make,  that  not  only  involved  their  position  but  possibly 
their  lives,  and  he  submitted  the  demand  of  the  Confederate 
general. 

The  session  lasted  for  an  hour,  when  the  whole  subject  of  the 
position  was  gone  over,  and  when  for  the  first  time  the  confidential 
communication  of  December,  1860,  by  Major  John  Withers  was 
made  known  to  the  officers.  The  decision  was  soon  reached,  and 
it  was  determined  without  dissent  to  refuse  the  demand,  when  the 
following  response  was  made  by  Major  Anderson  and  handed  to  the 
messengers  : 

1 '  FORT  SUMTER,  S.  C.,  April  n,  1861. 

"GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
your  communication  demanding  the  evacuation  of  this  fort,  and 
to  say,  in  reply  thereto,  that  it  is  a  demand  with  which  I  regret 
that  my  sense  of  honor,  and  of  my  obligations  to  my  Government, 
prevent  my  compliance.  Thanking  you  for  the  fair,  manly  and 
courteous  terms  proposed,  and  for  the  high  compliment  paid  me, 
"I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  &c." 

The  messengers  at  once,  and  without  further  conversation, 


4  24  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

took  their  leave.  Anderson  accompanied  them  as  far  as  the  main 
gate,  where  he  remained;  and  as  the  messengers  were  about  to  enter 
their  boat  a  few  yards  distant,  he  asked,  "  Will  General  Beau- 
regard  open  his  batteries  without  further  notice  to  me  ?  "  This 
interrogatory  caused  a  momentary  hesitation  and  embarrassment, 
when  Colonel  Chesnut  replied,  "  I  think  not,"  and  finally  said, 
"  No,  I  can  say  to  you  that  he  will  not,  without  giving  you  further 
notice."  Anderson  then  remarked  that  he  would  await  the  first 
shot,  but  that  he  would  be  starved  out  anyway  in  a  few  days,  if 
General  Beauregard  did  not  batter  him  to  pieces  with  his  guns. 

This  remark  was  but  partially  heard  by  the  messengers,  who 
had  now  entered  their  boat.  The  writer  was  present,  when  Colonel 
Chesnut  asked  him  in  regard  to  the  remark  of  Anderson,  when, 
upon  a  request  to  that  effect,  Major  Anderson  repeated  it.  Colonel 
Chesnut  then  asked  if  he  might  report  it  to  General  Beauregard. 
Anderson  declined  to  give  it  the  character  of  a  report,  but  stated 
that  it  was  the  fact  of  the  case.  The  boat  then  left  the  work. 
Within  the  fort,  the  men  had  already  become  aware  of  the  nature 
of  the  visit,  and  manifested  the  greatest  enthusiasm.  The  little 
that  remained  to  be  done  upon  the  parapet  was  now  rapidly  com- 
pleted. The  day  closed  without  further  action,  and  the  garrison 
had  gone  to  rest,  when  at  i  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  1 2th 
a  boat  again  approached  the  work  and  was  hailed  by  the  sentinel. 
It  contained  Colonel  Chesnut  and  Captain  Lee,  two  of  the  aides 
of  the  Confederate  general,  who  had  returned  with  the  final  propo- 
sition of  the  Confederate  authorities. 

The  refusal  of  Anderson,  as  well  as  his  verbal  statement  as  to 
his  condition,  had  been  promptly  telegraphed  to  Montgomery  by 
the  commanding  general.  The  reply  was  immediate,  and  as 
follows  : 

MONTGOMERY,  April  n,  1861. 

"  GENERAL  BEAUREGARD  :  Do  not  desire  needlessly  to  bom- 
bard Fort  Sumter.  If  Major  Anderson  will  state  the  time  at 
which,  as  indicated  by  him,  he  will  evacuate,  and  agree  that  in 
the  meantime  he  will  not  use  his  guns  against  us  unless  ours 
should  be  employed  against  Fort  Sumter,  you  are  authorized  thus 
to  avoid  the  effusion  of  blood.  If  this,  or  its  equivalent,  be 
refused,  reduce  the  fort  as  your  judgment  decides  to  be  most 
practicable. 

"L.  P.  WALKER." 

It  was  this  proposition  that  was  now  presented  to  Major  Ander- 


ANDERSON  REPLIES  TO  PROPOSALS  MADE. 


425 


son,  when  he  again  summoned  his  officers,  and  a  long  and  pro- 
tracted conference  took  place,  in  which  all  the  officers  took  part. 
The  principal  question  considered  was,  how  long  the  garrison 
could  hold  out  effectually  with  the  insufficient  supply  of  food,  now 
beginning  to  be  felt  by  the  men.  It  was  greatly  desired  that  the 
fort  should  hold  out  at  least  until  the  date  specified  as  desirable 
by  the  Government,  the  i$th  instant.  The  professional  opinion 
of  the  writer,  which  was  called  for  by  Major  Anderson,  was 
given  to  the  effect  that  the  men  could  hold  out  for  five  days, 
when  they  would  be  three  days  entirely  without  food.  There  was 
no  thought  of  according  to  the  proposal  made  to  reserve  or 
restrain  the  fire  of  the  fort,  and  no  consideration  given  except  to 
reject  it,  and  Major  Anderson  replied  in  a  written  communica- 
tion to  the  messengers,  as  follows  : 

4.]  "FoRT  SUMTER,  S.  C,  April  12,  1861. 

"  GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  by 
Colonel  Chesnut  of  your  second  communication  of  the  nth  instant, 
and  to  state  in  reply  that,  cordially  uniting  with  you  in  the  desire 
to  avoid  the  useless  effusion  of  blood,  I  will,  if  provided  with  the 
proper  and  necessary  means  of  transportation,  evacuate  Fort  Sum- 
ter  by  noon  on  the  i5th  instant,  and  that  I  will  not  in  the  mean- 
time open  my  fires  upon  your  forces  unless  compelled  to  do  so 
by  some  hostile  act  against  this  fort  or  the  flag  of  my  Government, 
by  the  forces  under  your  command,  or  by  some  portion  of  them, 
or  by  the  perpetration  of  some  act  showing  a  hostile  intention  on 
your  part  against  this  fort  or  the  flag  it  bears,  should  I  not  receive 
prior  to  that  time  controlling  instructions  from  my  Government 
or  additional  supplies. 

"  I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 
"Major,  first  Artillery,  Commanding. 
"Brig.-Gen.  BEAUREGARD,  Commanding." 

Three  hours  had  been  consumed  in  the  discussion  of  the  sub- 
ject, which  was  commented  upon  by  the  messengers  in  their  report 
of  their  mission,  who  thought  that  a  longer  time  was  taken  than 
was  necessary  to  decide  upon  their  communication,  but  that  they 
could  not  prevent  it. 

The  terms  of  this  reply  were  considered  by  the  messengers  as 
"  manifestly  futile,"  and,  as  far  as  they  were  concerned,  as 
placing  them  at  a  great  disadvantage,  and  not  within  the  scope  of 


426  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  verbal  instructions  given  to  them.      They  promptly  refused 
them,  and  handed  to  Major  Anderson  the  following  notice  : 

"  FORT  SUMTER,  April  12,  1861. 

"3:30  A.M. 

"  SIR  :  By  authority  of  Brigadier-General  Beauregard,  com- 
manding the  provisional  forces  of  the  Confederate  States,  we  have 
the  honor  to  notify  you  that  he  will  open  the  fire  of  his  batteries 
on  Fort  Sumter  in  one  hour  from  this  time. 

"  We  have  the  honor,  &c., 

"  CHESNUT, 

"LEE." 


PARAPET  OF  FORT  SUMTER  AFTER  BOMBARDMENT,  PAGE  443. 


The  messengers  now  hastily  took  their  leave.  The  batteries 
around  were  lighted,  their  fires  burning  brightly,  as  the  busy  hum 
of  preparation  was  borne  across  the  water  to  the  beleaguered  fort. 
Anderson,  accompanied  by  his  officers,  then  went  through  the  case- 
mates where  the  men  were  quartered  and  sleeping  ;  he  aroused 
them,  informing  them  of  the  impending  attack,  and  directed  them 
not  to  move  until  they  had  received  orders  from  him  ;  that  he 
would  not  open  fire  until  daylight,  and  that  they  were  then  to  fire 
slowly  and  carefully. 

.  The  sea  was  calm,  and  the  night  §till  under  the  bright  starlight, 


BOMBARDMENT  OF  FORT  SUMTER. 


427 


when  at  4:30  A.  M.  the  sound  of  a  mortar  from  a  battery  at  Fort 
Johnson  broke  upon  the  stillness.  It  was  the  signal  to  the  bat- 
teries around  to  open  fire.  The  shell,  fired  by  Captain  George 
S.  James,  who  commanded  the  battery,  rose  high  in  air,  and 
curving  in  its  course,  burst  almost  directly  over  the  fort.  A  silence 
followed  for  a  few  moments,  when  a  gun  opened  from  the  Iron- 
clad battery  on  Cummings  Point.  It  was  fired  by  Edward  Ruf- 
fin  of  Virginia,  who  had  volunteered  for  the  service.  Hardly  had 
the  echo  of  this  opening  gun  died  upon  the  air,  when  the  mortars 
nearest  to  the  fort  opened  their  fire,  which  was  at  once  followed 
by  others  in  the  neighborhood,  and  in  succession  by  the  batteries 
around,  until  the  fort  was  "  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  fire."  At 
a  distance  between  1,200  and  1,300  yards  from  the  fort,  and  near- 
est to  it  upon  Cummings  Point,  an  array  of  heavy  armament  had 
been  established,  whose  construction  had  been  anxiously  watched 
by  the  garrison,  and  whose  value  was  now  to  be  tested.  There 
were  three  distinct  batteries,  the  result  of  protracted  labor  and 
of  engineering  skill.  Upon  the  right  was  the  "  Trapier"  battery, 
consisting  of  three  lo-inch  mortars,  well  placed  and  protected. 
On  the  left  stood  the  "  Point  "  battery,  consisting  of  three  lo-inch 
mortars,  two  42-pound  guns,  and  one  1 2-pound  rifled  Blakeley. 
In  the  centre  rose  the  Iron-clad  battery,  mounting  three  8-inch 
Columbiads.  The  mortars  in  the  "Trapier"  battery,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  J.  Gadsden  King,  with  the  Marion  Artillery, 
of  Charleston,  opened  their  fire  immediately  after  the  signal  gun. 
They  were  followed  by  the  mortars  in  the  Point  battery,  which,  in 
connection  with  the  Iron-clad  battery,  were  assigned  to  the  super- 
vision of  Major  P.  F.  Stevens,  of  the  Citadel  Academy,  in  Charles- 
ton. They  were  manned  by  the  Palmetto  Guard  under  Captain 
G.  B.  Cuthbert. 

Fort  Moultrie  was  ready  with  its  fire,  and  opened  with  its 
guns  and  neighboring  mortars  soon  after  the  opening  gun  was 
fired  from  Cummings  Point.  Of  the  thirty  guns  constituting  its 
armament,  nine  bore  directly  upon  Sumter,  and  were  designated 
as  the  "Sumter  battery,"  and  were  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  Lieutenants  Alfred  Rhett  and  Mitchell.  They  were  the 
heaviest  of  the  ordnance  of  Fort  Moultrie,  and  included  the  guns 
that  had  been  spiked  and  whose  carriages  had  been  destroyed 
by  Major  Anderson  upon  his  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  to 
Fort  Sumter,  The  batteries  upon  Sullivan's  island  were  corn- 


428 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


manded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  R.  S.  Ripley,  an  able  and  experi- 
enced officer  of  artillery,  long  an  officer  of  the  old  army,  and 
whose  name  and  service  became  identified  with  the  defense  of 
Charleston  Harbor  until  the  last.  "Of  these  batteries,  three 
8-inch  Columbiads,  two  32-pounders  and  six  24-pounders  in  Fort 
Moultrie  ;  two  24-pounders  and  two  32-pounders  in  the  enfilade 
battery;  one  p-inch  Dahlgren  gun,  two  32-pounders,  two  42- 
pounders  at  the  '  Point,'  and  on  board  the  floating  battery,  and 
the  six  lo-inch  mortars — bore  upon  Fort  Sumter."*  The  fire 


MAIN  GATE,   SALLY-PORT  OF  GORGE,  AFTER  BOMBARDMENT   OF  1863. 


from  Moultrie  was  at  first  wanting  in  precision,  the  shots  passing 
over  the  work;  but  with  the  advancing  daylight  this  was  soon 
corrected,  until  almost  every  shot  took  effect,  either  striking  the 
scarp  wall,  or,  passing  closely  over  the  crest,  plunged  into  the 
quarters  on  the  gorge  wall  'opposite.  These  were  soon  destroyed. 
Projecting  above  the  crest  of  the  walls,  the  roofs  and  gables 
afforded  the  easiest  marks,  and  were  soon  riddled  by  the  shots. 


*  Ripley's  report,  p.  39,  "  War  of  the  Rebellion."    Vol.  I.,  Series  I. 


FORT  SUMTER  OPENS  FIRE. 


429 


The  fire  was  steadily  kept  up  through  the  day  and  only  lessened 
upon  the  approach  of  night. 

The  enfilading  and  adjoining  batteries  at  the  north  end  of 
Sullivan's  Island,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  J.  H.  Hallonquist, 
opened  fire  early  on  the  morning  of  the  i2th  and  maintained  it 
steadily  through  the  day.  Their  fire  was  especially  directed 
upon  the  parapet  of  Fort  Sumter.  The  enfilading  battery 
mounted  two  32-pound  and  two  42-pound  guns.  It  was  this 
battery  which  was  suddenly  unmasked  on  the  morning  of  the  pth 
of  April,  and  which  so  impressed  Major  Anderson.  Taking  the 
most  important  battery  upon  the  parapet  in  reverse,  its  guns  were 
so  actively  worked,  and  at  such  short  intervals  of  fire,  that  six 
hundred  and  eleven  shots  were  fired  from  it  alone.  "  The  object 
of  our  firing,"  said  the  officer  who  immediately  commanded  it,* 
in  his  official  report,  "  was  to  sweep  the  crest  of  the  parapet,  the 
roofs  of  the  quarters  within  Fort  Sumter,  to  dismount  the  bar- 
bette guns,  if  practicable,  and  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the 
parapet.  The  latter  object  was  accomplished,  "f 

The  floating  battery  of  Captain  Hamilton,  at  the  extreme 
northern  end  of  the  island,  also  opened  promptly,  and  maintained 
its  fire  from  its  two  32  and  two  42  pound  guns,  under  the  direct 
command  of  Lieutenant  Yates,  but  with  less  effect  than  had  been 
anticipated  by  the  garrison.  The  mortar  batteries  upon  Johnson 
and  at  Mount  Pleasant  were  also  served  steadily,  and  added  to 
the  effective  fire.  To  the  fire  of  the  two  lo-inch  mortars  at 
Mount  Pleasant  no  response  was  made  by  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Sumter. 

It  was  not  until  7  o'clock  that  Fort  Sumter  opened  its 
fire.  Its  entire  armament  now  consisted  of  forty-eight  available 
guns  in  casemate  and  barbette,  with  five  8-inch  and  lo-inch 
Columbiads  on  the  parade,  and  so  mounted  as  to  bear  upon  the 
city,  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  batteries  at  Cummings  Point.  The 
details  to  serve  the  guns  had  been  made  from  Captain  Double- 
day's  company.  There  were  three.  The  first,  commanded 
by  Captain  Doubleday  in  person,  took  position  at  the  battery 
of  the  two  32-pounders,  in  the  right  gorge  angle  on  the  lower 
tier,  and  which  bore  upon  the  batteries  at  Cummings  Point.  It 


*  Lieutenant  Jacob  Valentine. 

t  The  troops  were   withdrawn  from   the  parapet  by  Major  Anderson's 
order,  as  will  be  subsequently  seen. 


430  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

was  the  first  to  open  fire,  and  one  of  its  shots  "passed  a  few  feet 
above  the  upper  bolts  of  the  shed."*  A  constant  and  heavy 
fire  was  maintained  all  day,  producing  but  little  effect,  the  balls 
glancing  harmlessly  off  the  iron  roof  of  the  battery,  that  answered 
with  its  three  8-inch  Columbiads  effectively.  This,  with  the 
i2-pound  rifled  Blakeley,  well  served,  together  with  the  three 
jo-inch  mortars  of  the  Point  battery  and  the  two  42-pounders, 
poured  their  fire  at  regular  intervals  through  the  whole  day  upon 
the  fort  in  answer  to  its  guns. 

The  second  detail  was  under  the  command  of  First  Lieutenant 
J.  C.  Davis.  It  manned  the  guns  on  the  left  of  Doubleday.f 

The  third  detail  was  under  the  command  of  Assistant  Surgeon 
Crawford.  It  manned  the  three  3 2 -pounders  on  the  western  face 
of  the  work,  and  opened  fire  upon  the  floating  battery  at  the  upper 
end  of  Sullivan's  Island,  as  well  as  upon  the  enfilading  battery 
and  heavy  Dahlgren  gun  that  had  opened  early  and  whose  fire 
was  sweeping  the  parapet. 

The  effect  of  the  fire  upon  the  floating  battery  was  slight. 
Nearly  all  of  the  shot  failed  to  penetrate  the  roof,  and  were 
deflected;  one  only,  striking  the  angle  between  the  front  and 
roof,  penetrated  through  the  iron  covering  and  woodwork  beneath. 
The  sea  wall  behind  which  it  had  taken  position  protected  its 
water  line  from  our  ricochet  shots.  This  battery  with  its 
32-pounders,  from  which  so  much  was  expected  on  both  sides, 
failed  to  realize  the  hopes  or  fears  so  long  formed  of  it.  Fail- 
ing to  produce  any  sensible  effects  from  his  fire,  the  writer  sought 
Major  Anderson,  and  requested  authority  to  move  his  command 
along  the  casemates  on  the  right  to  a  battery  of  one  42  and  two 
32  pounders  that  bore  directly  upon  Moultrie,  whose  fire  had 
been  steadily  kept  up  upon  the  fort  since  the  early  opening  of  its 
guns  and  without  reply  from  the  fort. 

Major  Anderson  was  in  the  magazine,  whose  exposed  condL 
tion  already  caused  him  anxiety.  He  gave  the  requisite  authority, 
and  moving  the  men,  fire  was  opened  at  once  in  reply  to  Moultrie, 
and  maintained  for  four  hours,  when  the  writer  was  relieved  by 
Lieutenant  R.  K.  Meade,  who  continued  the  fire  until  night 


*  Captain  Cuthbert,  South   Carolina   Infantry.      Official  report,   p.  54, 
"War  of  the  Rebellion,"  Vol.  I,  Series  I. 
t  There  is  no  record  of  this  service. 


DETAILS  OF  THE  BOMBARDMENT. 


431 


Meantime,  Captain  Seymour  relieved  Doubleday  at  the  batteries 
and  maintained  their  fire  for  several  hours. 

A  few  shots  were  fired  at  the  mortar  batteries  at  Fort  Johnson 
by  Captain  Seymour,  but  with  no  appreciable  effect.  It  was  now 
noon.  The  constant  fire  of  the  fort  had  largely  reduced  the 
number  of  cartridges.  There  were  but  seven  hundred  when  the 
fire  began,  and  the  six  needles  were  kept  busy  in  their  manufac- 
ture, but  the  supply  was  now  so  reduced  that  the  fire  of  the  fort 
slackened,  and  was  at  last  confined  to  six  guns :  two  bearing  upon 
Cummings  Point,  two  upon  Moultrie  and  two  upon  the  batteries 
upon  the  western  end  of  Sullivan's  Island.  The  effect  of  the  verti- 
cal fire  of  the  mortars,  and  of  the  enfilading  batteries  upon  the  para- 
pet, was  so  soon  manifested  that  Anderson  determined  not  to  serve 
the  guns  en  barbette  at  all.  He  took,  he  said,  the  whole  respon- 
sibility, and  would  not  expose  his  men  to  a  fire  in  reverse  that 
would  be  fatal.  The  men  were  at  once  withdrawn  from  the  par- 
apet by  Anderson's  order.  And  thus  the  long  toil  and  engineering 
care  expended  upon  the  erection  of  the  most  formidable  battery 
in  the  fort,  and  whose  construction  was  wholly  in  reference  to  the 
array  of  heavy  armament  at  Cummings  Point,  was  lost.  The 
guns  thus  left  to  the  sport  of  the  enemy's  fire  were  the  heaviest  in 
calibre,  and  must  if  properly  served  have  produced  a  serious 
effect. 

The  men  displayed  great  enthusiasm,  and  even  the  workmen 
caught  the  spirit  of  the  hour  and  helped  to  serve  the  guns.  After 
the  abandonment  of  the  casemate  by  Doubleday 's  command,  by 
Anderson's  order,  a  party  of  the  workmen  who  had  been  watch- 
ing the  firing,  voluntarily  took  possession  of  the  battery  and 
renewed  the  fire  on  Cummings  Point,  when  they  were  "  organ- 
ized into  a  firing  party. ' ' 

Knowing  that  the  guns  on  the  parapet  were  loaded  and 
trailed,  one  of  the  men  made  his  way  to  them,  and  without 
orders  fired  them.*  In  the  discharge  of  one  lo-inch  Columbiad, 
the  proper  arrangements  for  controlling  the  recoil  of  the  piece 
were  neglected,  and  running  back  off  its  chassis  it  entirely  over- 
turned, dismounting  an  8-inch  seacoast  howitzer  next  to  it  and 
adding  greatly  to  the  appearance  of  destruction  produced  by  the 
fire.  The  rapid  fire  from  Moultrie  dismounted  one  8-inch 


*  Private  Carmody,  Co.  E. 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Columbiad  and  cracked  another  on  the  right  flank  of  the  work  in 
the  barbette  tier.  The  fire  from  the  enemy's  mortars  upon  the 
parapet,  and  especially  that  from  the  enfilading  battery  and  from 
the  "  Sumter  battery  "  of  Moultrie,  besides  silencing  the  guns  en 
barbette,  completely  riddled  the  officers'  quarters  above  the  lowest 
story.  Three  times  the  quarters  were  set  on  fire  by  shells  from 
Cummings  Point  and  by  hot  shot  from  Moultrie,  but  this  was 
promptly  extinguished,  and  mainly  by  the  active  co-operation  of 
Sergeant  Peter  Hart,  an  old  soldier  who  had  seen  service  with 
Anderson  as  first  sergeant,  and  had  come  to  him  voluntarily  and 
was  now  employed  as  a  workman  by  the  engineer. 

The  enemy's  shots  had  cut  the  iron  cisterns  over  the  hallways, 
and  the  rush  of  water  aided  in  controlling  the  fire.  It  was  now 
first  made  known  to  us  that  the  fleet  so  earnestly  looked  for  had 
arrived,  and  their  flags  could  be  seen  as  they  lay  off  the  bar. 

Upon  the  approach  of  night  the  enemy  slackened  his  fire,  and 
finally  reduced  it  to  his  mortars,  which  fired  at  intervals  of  fifteen 
minutes,  and  with  great  precision,  through  the  night,  which  passed 
in  storm  and  with  high  wind  and  tide.  The  men  were  withdrawn 
from  the  batteries,  as  the  scarcity  of  the  cartridges  forbade  any 
service  of  the  guns  through  the  night. 

At  midnight  the  making  of  cartridges  was  stopped  by  Major 
Anderson,  as  nearly  all  of  the  extra  clothing  and  material  from 
the  hospital  had  been  used. 

At  the  request  of  Lieutenant  Snyder,  the  writer,  just  before 
midnight,  accompanied  him  upon  an  inspection  of  the  outside  of 
the  work.  Everywhere,  but  especially  upon  the  wall  of  the 
gorge,  and  on  the  faces  o'pposfte  to  Fort  Moultrie,.  were  deep 
indentations  made  by  the  solid  shot.  That  from  the  8-inch 
Columbiad  had  penetrated  about  twelve  inches,  crumbling  the 
bricks  and  leaving  a  wide  crater.  The  twelve-pound  projectile 
from  the  rifled  gun  had  penetrated  but  little  deeper,  but  its  fire 
was  more  accurate,  and  the  attempt  to  breach  around  the  lower 
embrasure  of  the  right  gorge  angle  had  progressed  to  a  depth  of 
twenty  inches  and  must  in  the  end  have  succeeded.  Some  of  the 
hastily  constructed  devices  of  the  engineers  had  yielded  to  the 
enemy's  fire  ;  a  shot  having  passed  through  the  filling  of  one  of 
the  embrasures  of  the  second  tier  and  one  through  the  main  gate. 
But  the  resistance  of  the  fort  was  unaffected  :  its  walls  were  intact, 
its  casemates  uninjured,  and  its  lower  tier  of  guns  untouched. 


EFFECT  OF  THE  FIRST  DAY'S  BOMBARDMENT.     433 

The  parapet  had  suffered  most  ;  it  had  been  undefended,  and,  in 
the  destruction  of  the  projecting  roofs  and  chimneys,  the  crum- 
bling of  its  walls  and  the  injury  to  its  guns,  presented  a  picture  of 
havoc  and  ruin. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Mortar  firing  through  the  night — Anticipating  the  fleet— Heavy  firing  opened 
in  the  morning— Fort  Sumter  replies  "early  and  spitefully"—  Scarcity  of 
cartridges— Fire  restricted  in  consequence— Quarters  set  on  fire  by  shells 
and  hot  shot— Increased  fire  of  the  batteries— Fort  threatened  with  explosion 
— Magazines  closed- -Flames  spread — Woodwork  consumed — Flagstaff 
shot  away — Flag  restored  at  once  -Colonel  Wigfall  crosses  in  small  boat 
from  Cummings  Point— His  visit  unauthorized — Enters  the  fort — Interview 
with  Major  Anderson — Terms  of  evacuation  proposed— Major  Anderson 
consents — Wigfall  departs — White  flag  raised — Three  aides  of  Confederate 
general  come  to  fort  under  white  flag — Interview  with  Anderson — Aides 
return  to  Charleston— WigfalPs  visit  without  knowledge  of  Confederate 
general — "Formal  and  final  terms"  presented — Anderson  accepts — Con- 
dition of  the  fort — Effect  of  the  fire  upon  it — Casualties  slight — Four  men 
wounded — Salute  to  the  flag  permitted — Serious  explosion,  and  result — 
State  troops  take  possession — Captain  Ferguson,  aide-de-camp  to  com- 
manding general,  raises  Confederate  flag  over  the  work — Garrison  trans- 
ferred to  the  steamer  Baltic,  which  leaves  for  the  North. 

THE  night  closed  in  rain  and  darkness ;  the  wind  from  the  sea 
blew  in  storm.  The  men  rested  undisturbed,  while  an  anxious 
and  expectant  watch  was  kept  in  anticipation  of  the  relief  prom- 
ised, but  which  failed  to  appear.  The  enemy  were  equally  upon 
the  alert,  and  through  the  night  his  batteries  guarding  the  chan- 
nels were  manned,  and  a  ceaseless  watch  kept  upon  the  approaches 
to  the  harbor,  while  his  enfilading  batteries  were  kept  in  readiness 
to  sweep  the  landings  and  faces  of  Fort  Sumter  should  any  force 
attempt  to  succor  the  garrison.  The  light  wood  upon  the  hulks 
that  had  been  anchored  at  the  entrance  to  the  inner  harbor,  under 
the  guns  of  Fort  Moultrie,  was  now  ignited  in  anticipation  of  the 
approach  of  the  fleet,  while  the  fire  of  the  mortar  batteries  was  kept 
up  at  intervals  of  fifteen  minutes  through  the  night,  which  passed 
without  further  incident. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  i3th  the  firing  was  renewed.^ 
In  anticipation  of  a  movement  of  the  fleet,  and  to  save  ammuni- 
tion, the  firing  from  Sullivan's  Island  was  at  first  confined  to  the 
mortars  and  enfilading  battery.     The  direct  fire  of  Fort  Moultrie 
was  restricted  to  two  of  the  guns  of  the  Sumter  battery,  until  the 

434 


SECOND  DAVS  BOMBARDMENT. 


435 


fire  broke:  out  at  Sumter,  when  the  entire  battery  was  manned  and 
served.  At  Cummings  Point  the  mortar  batteries  opened  early,  and 
maintained  their  fire  steadily  at  regular  intervals,  while  the, fire 
of  the  heavy  Columbiads  in  the  Iron-clad  battery  was  concen- 
trated to  breach  the  work  as  well  as  to  destroy  the  granite  defenses 
of  the  main  gate. 

"Fort  Sumter  opened  early  and  spitefully,"  said  the  com- 
mander of  Fort  Moultrie,  in  his  official  report,  "  and  paid  especial 
attention  to  Fort  Moultrie,  almost  every  shot  grazing  the  crest  of 
the  parapet  and  crushing  through  the  quarters. ' '  After  their  limited 
breakfast  of  pork  and  the  last  of  the  damaged  rice,  the  details 
went  again  to  their  guns.  Those  bearing  upon  "  Cummings  Point" 
were  not  served,  the  guns  in  the  casemates  bearing  upon  the 
inner  channel  and  upon  Fort  Moultrie  being  the  only  ones  used. 
A  rapid  and  accurate  fire  was  maintained  for  hours,  when  the  sup- 
ply of  cartridges  became  so  much  diminished  as  to  restrict  the 
fire  to  one  gun  every  ten  minutes.  Before  8  o'clock  the  offi- 
cers' quarters  had  been  twice  set  on  fire  by  the  mortar  shells;  the 
flames  had  been  promptly  extinguished,  when  between  9  and 
10  the  fire  was  renewed  from  the  same  cause,  and  was  being 
again  controlled,  when  Moultrie  opened  with  hot  shot,  which  was 
poured  into  the  fort,  spreading  the  conflagration  and  greatly  add- 
ing to  the  destruction.  Every  battery  around  the  fort  now 
increased  its  fire,  and  Major  Anderson  forbade  any  further 
attempt  to  control  the  flames,  which  were  now  spreading  in  every 
direction  through  the  wooden  floors  and  partitions  of  the  quarters. 
It  spread  to  both  barracks  and  quarters,  and  by  noon  all  of  the 
woodwork  was  in  flames.  The  officers,  seizing  the  axes  that  were 
available,  exerted  themselves  in  cutting  away  whatever  wood- 
work was  accessible.  It  soon  became  evident  that  the  magazine 
with  its  300  barrels  of  powder  was  in  danger  of  the  flames,  and 
every  man  that  could  be  spared  was  placed  upon  the  duty  of 
removing  the  powder,  toward  which  the  fire  was  gradually  pro- 
gressing, now  separated  from  the  magazine  by  only  one  set  of 
quarters.  Not  a  third  of  the  barrels  could  be  removed;  so  thick 
was  the  qloud  of  smoke  and  burning  cinders,  that  penetrated  every- 
where, that  a  cause  of  serious  danger  arose  from  the  exposed 
condition  of  the  powder  taken  from  the  magazine,  and  Major  An- 
derson now  ordered  that  all  but  five  barrels  be  thrown  into  the  sea. 

The  men,  almost  suffocated  as  the  south  wind  carried  the  cloud 


436 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


DETAILS  OF  SECOND  DA  Y'S  BOMBARDMENT. 

of  hot  smoke  and  cinders  into  the  casemates,  threw  themselves 
upon  the  ground  and  covered  their  faces  with  wet  cloths,  or 
rushed  to  the  embrasures,  where  the  occasional  draught  made  it 
possible  to  breathe.  The  enemy  maintained  his  increased  fire. 
The  nine-inch  shells  which  had  been  filled,  and  located  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  work,  to  be  used  as  grenades  in  repelling  an 
assault,  now  exploded  from  time  to  time  as  the  fire  spread,  adding 
greatly  to  the  danger  and  destruction. 

A  large  number  had  been  placed  in  the  towers  on  the  spiral 
staircase  of  granite.  They  exploded,  completely  destroying  these 
structures  at  the  west  gorge  angle,  as  well  as  the  interior  of  the 
other.  It  was  at  this  moment  that  the  writer,  in  obedience  to 
Anderson's  orders,  had  ascended  to  the  parapet  to  report  any  move- 
ment of  the  fleet.  It  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  he 
could  make  his  way  amid  the  destruction  and  reach  the  parapet  at 
all.  The  fleet  had  made  no  movement. 

The  magazines  were  now  closed,  when  a  shot  from  the  enemy's 
batteries  "  passed  through  the  intervening  shield,  struck  the  door, 
and  bent  the  lock  in  such  a  way  that  it  could  not  be  opened 
again." 

For  some  time  our  batteries  had  ceased  even  their  restricted 
fire,  when  some  single  shots  were  fired  by  Doubleday,  and  were 
answered  by  cheers  from  the  enemy. 

The  scene  was  wellnigh  indescribable.  It  was  now  noon. 
The  enemy's  fire  from  his  mortars  and  gun  batteries  had  been  so 
increased  that  there  was  scarcely  an  appreciable  moment  that 
shot  and  shell  were  not  searching  the  work.  The  flames  of  the 
burning  quarters  were  still  spreading,  shooting  upward  amid  the 
dense  smoke  as  heavy  masses  of  brick  and  masonry  crumbled, 
and  fell  with  loud  noise.  All  of  the  woodwork  had  now  been 
consumed.  The  heavy  gates  at  the  entrance  of  the  work,  as  well 
as  the  planking  of  the  windows  on  the  gorge,  were  gone,  leaving 
access  to  the  fort  easy  and  almost  unobstructed. 

In  the  midst  of  the  fire,  the  flag-staff,  which  had  borne  the  flag 
since  the  demand  for  the  surrender,  having  been  repeatedly  struck, 
was  shot  away  at  i  :3o  p.  M.  and  fell  heavily  to  the  ground,  it  being 
down  but  a  few  moments,  and,  in  the  words  of  Major  Anderson, 
"  merely  long  enough  to  enable  us  to  replace  it  on  another  staff."* 


*  Anderson,  April  13,  1861, 


438 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


The  flag  halliards  had  been  cut,  and  the  flag  itself  had  been  sus- 
tained by  one  only,  that  had  become  twisted  around  the  staff.  Upon 
the  disappearance  of  the  flag  the  enemy  slackened  his  fire.  It 
was  at  once  secured  by  Lieutenant  Hall,  and  attached  to  a 
short  spar  brought  promptly  by  Sergeant  Hart  and  carried  to  the 
parapet,  where  under  the  superintendence  of  Captain  Seymour, 
assisted  by  Lieutenant  Snyder  and  Sergeant  Hart,  it  was  again 


INSIDE   OF  ONE  OF  THE  MAGAZINES,    FORT  SUMTER. 


raised  and  the  temporary  staff  secured  to  a  gun-carriage  on  the 
parapet  amid  the  renewed  and  concentrated  fire  of  the  enemy's 
guns. 

Meantime  a  group  of  officers  had  been  watching  the  progress 
of  the  bombardment  and  its  effect  upon  the  fort  from  the  Iron- 
clad battery  at  Cummings  Point,  when  one  of  them,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  De  Saussure,  the  officer  commanding  the  artillery  on 


COLONEL  WIGFALL  GOES  TO  FORT  SUMTER.         439 

Morris  Island,  suggested  that,  from  the  silence  of  the  fort,  the 
spread  of  the  flames,  as  well  as  the  evident  effect  of  their  fire, 
they  should  send  and  inquire  into  the  status  of  the  garrison  as  a 
matter  of  humanity.  Brigadier-General  James  Simons,  com- 
manding upon  the  island,  was  present,  but  objected  to  such  a 
course,  as  beyond  the  scope  of  his  authority,  as  well  as  from  the 
fact  that  he  had  no  one  whom  he  could  send.  Upon  this,  an  aide- 
de-camp  of  General  Beauregard  (Colonel  Louis  Wigfall),  who 
had  been  with  the  batteries  for  two  days,  at  once  volunteered  for 
the  service.  Upon  consultation  with  Colonel  Manning  and  Colo- 
nel Chesnut,  two  aides  of  the  commanding  general,  who,  with 
Colonel  Chisholm,  of  Governor  Pickens's  staff,  had  come  to  the 
island  to  learn  the  condition  of  the  batteries  and  to  establish 
communication  with  the  city,*  the  general  commanding  upon 
the  island  reluctantly  gave  the  authority.  Colonel  Wigfall  anti- 
cipated the  action  of  the  aides,  who,  seeing  the  flag  of  the  fort  down, 
had  determined  to  renew  the  demand  for  the  surrender.  Their 
boat  was  being  prepared,  when  Colonel  Wigfall,  securing  a  skiff  in  a 
creek  near  by,  and  joined  by  private  Gourdin  Young,  of  the  com- 
pany of  the  Palmetto  Guard  on  duty  on  the  Iron-clad  battery, 
with  two  negroes  as  oarsmen,  pushed  off  at  once  amid  the  firing 
for  Fort  Sumter.  Colonel  Ripley,  in  Fort  Moultrie,  seeing  the  boat 
push  off,  fired  a  shot  across  her  bow,  which  she  disregarded, 
when,  continuing  her  course,  she  finally  reached  the  wharf  of  the 
fort.  Seeing  no  one,  and  finding  the  entrance  to  the  fort  obstruc- 
ted by  the  burning  ashes,  Colonel  Wigfall  went  alone  around 
the  enrockment  to  the  left  face  of  the  work.  Meantime,  Ander- 
son being  informed  of  the  arrival  of  the  boat  with  a  white  flag 
by  a  private  soldier  that  had  seen  it  land,  passed  out  of  the  fort 
through  the  blazing  gateway,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Snyder, 
who  followed  Colonel  Wigfall  around  the  work.  Arriving  near 
an  embrasure  on  the  left  flank,  where  a  sentinel  was  standing, 
Colonel  Wigfall  displayed  his  white  flag  upon  his  sword,  and  said 
he  wished  to  see  Major  Anderson,  when  after  some  discussion  he 
was  permitted  to  enter.  The  writer  saw  him  enter  the  work, 
Lieutenant  Snyder  entering  after  him.  He  at  once  asked  for 
Major  Anderson,  saying  that  General  Beauregard  desired  to  stop 
"this  firing."  In  passing  down  the  casemates  some  of  the 


•  Sjmons,  p.  33,  "War  of  the  Rebellion,"  Vol.  I,  Series  I. 


440  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

officers  were  met,  and  to  them  Colonel  Wigfall  at  once  appealed. 
"Your  flag  is  down,"  said  he,  "you  are  on  fire,  and  you  are  not 
firing  your  guns.  General  Beauregard  desires  to  stop  this,"  and 
he  proposed  that  a  white  flag  be  displayed  towards  Moultrie,  as 
the  batteries  on  Cummings  Point,  from  which  he  had  come,  had 
ceased  firing.  "No,  sir,"  said  Lieutenant  Davis,  "our  flag  is 
not  down;  if  you  will  step  this  way  you  will  see  it  floating."  He 
then  said,  "Let  us  stop  this  firing.  Will  you  hoist  this  ?  "  hold- 
ing out  his  sword,  to  which  he  had  attached  his  handkerchief. 
"No;"  said  Davis,  "it  is  for  you  to  stop  it."  "Will  no  one 
hold  it  ?"  said  Wigfall.  Receiving  no  response,  he  sprang  into 
an  embrasure  looking  toward  Moultrie,  that  was  keeping  up 
a  steady  fire,  and  waved  his  flag  backward  and  forward  without 
attracting  attention,  so  great  was  the  distance.  Upon  seeing 
this  Lieutenant  Davis  said,  "  As  you  have  put  the  flag  out  your- 
self, I  will  let  one  of  the  soldiers  continue  to  hold  it;"  and  direct- 
ed a  corporal,  who  stood  near,  to  continue  to  wave  it.  He  had 
hardly  been  in  the  embrasure  a  moment,  when  a  shot  struck  just 
over  him,  when  springing  back  inside  he  announced  with  an  oath, 
that  the. flag  was  not  respected.  "I  have  been  fired  upon  with 
that  flag  two  or  three  times,"  replied  Wigfall ;  "I  think  you  might 
stand  it  once."* 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  Anderson  came  up,  when  Colonel 
Wigfall  immediately  addressed  him.  "Major  Anderson,  I  am 
Colonel  Wigfall ;  General  Beauregard  wishes  to  stop  this,  and  to  ask 
upon  what  terms  you  will  evacuate  this  work;  you  can  have  almost 
any  terms  which  General  Beauregard  will  arrange  with  you."  Major 
Anderson  replied:  "  I  have  already  stated  to  General  Beauregard 
the  terms  upon  which  I  will  evacuate  this  fort.  Instead  of  noon 
on  the  1 5th,  I  will  go  now."  "  Then,  Major  Anderson,  I  understand 
that  you  will  evacuate  the  fort  upon  the  same  terms  proposed  to 
you  by  General  Beauregard. "  "  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Anderson, « '  and 
upon  those  terms  alone."  "  Then,"  said  Colonel  Wigfall,  inquir- 
ingly," the  fort  is  to  be  ours  ?"  "Yes,"  replied  Major  Anderson, 
upon  those  terms."  "Very  well;  then  I  will  return  to  General 
Beauregard." 

The  conditions  for  the  evacuation  were  gone  over.  Anderson 
was  to  evacuate  the  fort  with  his  command,  taking  arms  and  all  pri- 

*  Personal  observation  and  record. 


WIGFALL' S  VISIT  UNAUTHORIZED.  441 

vate  and  company  property,  saluting  his  flag  upon  taking  it  down, 
and  transportation  secured  to  any  port  in  the  North.  After  some 
appreciative  remarks  in  regard  to  the  defense,  Colonel  Wigfall  left 
the  fort,  when  the  flag  was  taken  down  and  a  white  flag  raised  by 
Anderson's  order,  when  the  firing  entirely  ceased.  Colonel  Wigfall 
returned  at  once  in  his  boat  to  Cummings  Point,  where  the  com- 
mand received  him  with  enthusiasm,  and  to  whom  he  announced, 
although  mistakenly,  the  unconditional  surrender  of  the  fort. 
The  aides  of  the  general  commanding  had  awaited  his  coming, 
when  he  accompanied  them  at  once  in  their  boat  on  their  return  to 
Charleston. 

The  visit  of  Colonel  Wigfall  was  wholly  unauthorized.  It  was 
a  voluntary  act,  not  to  be  justified  even  by  the  exigency.  But  he 
gave  Anderson  to  understand  that  he  came  from  and  upon  the 
part  of  the  general  commanding  the  opposing  forces,  and  upon 
that  representation  alone  was  he  received.  He  had  scarcely  left 
the  fort,  when  a  boat  containing  three  aides-de-camp*  of  the 
commanding  general  came,  under  a  white  flag. 

The  commanding  general  had  noticed  the  absence  of  the  flag 
and  the  burning  of  the  quarters,  and  had  sent  to  offer  assistance. 
On  their  way  to  the  fort  they  recognized  that  the  flag  had  again 
been  raised  on  Sumter,  and  were  about  to  return,  when  the  white 
flag  was  again  seen,  and  they  pushed  on.  Anderson  declined  any 
assistance,  and  then  inquired  if  they  had  come  directly  from  Gen- 
eral Beuuregard.  Upon  being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he 
then  gave  the  incident  of  the  visit  of  Colonel  Wigfall,  "as  an  aide 
to  and  by  authority  of  General  Beauregard,"  and  as  authorized  to 
propose  terms  for  the  evacuation.  He  was  then  informed  that 
Colonel  Wigfall  had  been  absent  from  headquarters,  and  had  not 
seen  General  Beauregard  for  two  days.  Vexed  at  the  misunder- 
standing and  the  awkward  position  in  which  he  found  himself, 
Anderson  determined  to  restore  his  flag,  that  he  regretted  had 
ever  been  taken  down,  and  to  re-open  his  batteries,  that  his  flag 
was  lowered  only  because  he  had  understood  Wigfall  to  come 
directly  from  Beauregard.  But  he  was  persuaded  to  postpone  any 
such  action  until  General  Beauregard  could  be  advised  of  the 
terms  to  which  he  would  consent.  Meantime  he  reduced  to  writing 
the  terms  proposed  by  Colonel  Wigfall  and  those  upon  which  he 


*  Captain  S,  P.  Lee,  Colonels  Roger  A.  Pryor  and  W.  Porcher  Miles. 


442  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

would  evacuate  the  fort,  and  sent  it  to  General  Beauregard  by 
Captain  S.  D.  Lee,  one  of  the  aides.* 

The  visit  of  Colonel  Wigfall,  and  its  purpose,  had  been  com- 
municated to  General  Beauregard,  who  at  once  sent  two  officers! 
of  his  staff  "  to  receive  any  propositions  he  might  wish  to  make." 
The  note  sent  by  Anderson  to  General  Beauregard  by  Captain 
Lee  was  read,  when  the  officers  informed  Anderson  that  they 
"  were  authorized  to  offer  him  those  terms,  excepting  only  the 
clause  relating  to  the  salute  to  the  flag,"  and  this  they  were  not 
authorized  to  grant.  When  asked  what  his  answer  would  be  if 
not  permitted  to  salute  his  flag,  he  replied  that  he  would  not  urge 
it,  but  would  refer  the  matter  again  to  General  Beauregard.  At 
this  interview  a  message  was  sent  by  Anderson  to  Governor 
Pickens  and  to  General  Beauregard,  which  under  the  circumstan- 
ces may  be  deemed  extraordinary.  It  was  that,  "as  an  evidence 
of  his  desire  to  save  the  public  property  as  much  as  possible,  he 
had  three  times  on  Friday  and  twice  on  Saturday  sent  up  his  men 
to  extinguish  the  flames  under  the  heavy  fire  of  our  batteries,  and 
when  the  magazines  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  blown  up." \ 

The  formal  and  final  terms  agreed  to  by  the  general  com- 
manding, were  presented  to  Anderson  by  some  messengers  from 
General  Beauregard  at  7  o'clock  p.  M.,  in  regard  to  which 

*  An  incident  now  occurred  which  might  have  had  a  serious  ending.  The 
aides  of  the  Confederate  general  had  been  introduced  into  the  only  gun  case- 
mate which  was  habitable,  and  which  was  occupied  as  quarters  by  Captain 
Foster  and  the  surgeon  oi  the  fort.  Colonel  Roger  A.  Pryor,  one  of  the  aides, 
had  taken  his  seat  near  a  table  at  the  head  of  the  camp-ted  occupied  by  the 
surgeon.  The  latter  had  been  seriously  ill,  and  was  under  the  course  of  a 
strong  medicine  that  stood  in  a  large  bottle  upon  the  table.  Without  reflection 
Colonel  Pryor  poured  out  a  large  portion  oi  the  medicine  and  drank  it.  Dis- 
covering his  mistake,  he  appealed  at  once  to  Major  Anderson,  who,  in  an  angle 
of  the  casemate  was  writing  down  the  terms  upon  which  he  would  agree  to 
evacuate  the  work.  The  surgeon  was  at  once  sent  for,  when  Colonel  Pryor 
rapidly  recounted  the  circumstances,  when  the  surgeon  said  to  him,  "  If  you 
have  taken  the  amount  of  that  solution  that  you  think  you  have,  you  have  likely 
poisoned  yourself."  "  Do  something  for  me,  doctor,  right  off,"  said  he,  "for 
I  would  not  have  anything  happen  to  me  in  this  fort  for  any  consideration.'1 
The  surgeon  took  him  to  his  impr  vised  dispensary  down  the  line  of  casemates, 
where  he  was  shortly  afterward  relieved  and  returned  to  the  city. 

t  D.  R.  Jones,  Assistant  Adjutant-General;  Charles  Allston,  Jr.,  Colonel 
and  aide-de-camp. 

|  Official  report,  Jones  and  Allston,  April  15,  1861, 


EFFECT  OF  THE  BOMBARDMENT  AT  THE  FORT.      443 

Anderson  expressed  his  gratification;  and  it  was  arranged  that  he 
should  leave  in  the  morning,  after  communicating  with  the  fleet, 
but  that  he  must  be  responsible  for  the  fort  in  the  meantime,  as 
otherwise  four  companies  of  artillery  would  be  ordered  there. 
After  the  cessation  of  the  firing  the  fort  was  left  in  comparative 
quiet,  and  an  opportunity  offered  to  examine  its  condition.  It 
was  a  scene  of  ruin  and  destruction.  For  thirty-four  hours  it  had 
sustained  a  bombardment  from  seventeen  lo-inch  mortars  and 
heavy  guns,  well  placed  and  well  served.  The  quarters  and 
barracks  were  in  ruins.  The  main  gates  and  the  planking  of  the 
windows  on  the  gorge  were  gone  ;  the  magazines  closed  and 
surrounded  by  smoldering  flames  and  burning  ashes  ;  the  provi- 
sions exhausted;  much  of  the  engineering  work  destroyed  ;  the 
cartridges  gone;  and  with  four  barrels  of  powder  only  available  — 
the  command  had  yielded  to  the  inevitable.  The  effect  of  the 
direct  shot  had  been  to  indent  the  walls,  where  the  marks  could 
be  counted  by  hundreds,*  while  the  shells  well  directed  had 
crushed  in  the  quarters,  and,  in  connection  with  the  hot  shot,  set- 
ting them  on  fire,  had  destroyed  the  barracks,  and  quarters  down 
to  the  gun  casemates,  while  the  enfilading  fire  had  prevented  the 
service  of  the  barbette  guns,  some  of  them  comprising  the  most  im- 
portant battery  in  the  work.  The  breaching  fire  from  the  Colum- 
biads  and  rifled  gun  at  Cummings  Point  upon  the  right  gorge 
angle  had  progressed  sensibly,  and  must  eventually  have  succeed- 
ed if  kept  up,  but  as  yet  no  guns  had  been  disabled  or  injured  at 
that  point.  The  effect  of  the  fire  upon  the  parapet  was  most 
pronounced.  The  gorge,  the  right  face  and  flank,  as  well  as  the 
left  face,  were  all  taken  in  reverse  and  a  destructive  fire  main- 
tained until  the  end,  while  the  gun-carriages  on  the  barbette  of 
the  gorge  were  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  the  blazing  quarters. 

Fort  Sumter  had  been  built  with  all  the  careful  appliance  of 
the  most  improved  engineer  science.  Its  beautiful  arches  were 
models  of  strength  and  grace;  and  it  was  with  natural  pride  that 
the  engineer  officer  in  his  official  report  remarked  upon  the  fact 
that  so  good  was  the  masonry  of  one  of  the  fifteen-inch  arches  of 
the  second  tier,  that  a  lo-inch  shell  from  Cummings  Point  failed. 
to  go  through  it,  although  it  was  not  covered  by  concrete  or  flag-. 


*  600.     Foster. 


444 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 


SUBSTANTIAL  PART  OF  FORT  UNINJURED.          445 

But  the  fort  had  been  constructed  without  reference  to  an 
attack  by  those  who  should  have  been  its  defenders,  and  in  con- 
sequence its  weakest  part,  the  gorge,  undefended  by  a  flanking 
fire,  became  its  most  vulnerable  point,  and  its  destruction  the 
object  of  the  able  engineer  who  conducted  the  attack  upon  the 
work.  Its  walls,  standing  upon  a  stone  foundation  twelve  feet 
thick  at  the  base,  and  lessening  to  eight  and  a  half  feet  at  the 
parapet,  were  built  to  resist  smooth-bore  projectiles,  which  at  that 
time  was  the  adopted  system;  but  strong  as  they  were,  they  showed 
how  little  fitted  such  construction  was  to  resist  rifled  ordnance 
when  the  twelve-pounder  Blakely  gun  from  Cummings  Point  put 
one  of  its  shot  through  the  masked  wall  of  the  magazine.  But 
the  offensive  strength  of  the  fort  was  not  felt.  The  powerful  bat- 
tery upon  the  barbette  bearing  upon  the  batteries  on  Cummings 
Point  was  not  used,  although  to  its  erection  and  completion  the 
best  efforts  of  officers  and  men  had  been  given.  The  heavy 
Columbiads  mounted  upon  the  parade  and  bearing  upon  the  city, 
Fort  Moultrie  and  Cummings  Point  were  not  once  loaded,  and 
the  hot  shot  furnaces  remained  untouched.  The  guns  of  the  lower 
tier  were  the  only  ones  used,  and  the  strength  of  the  casemates 
protected  the  men  serving  them,  while  they  remained  uninjured  to 
the  last.  Had  the  garrison  been  sufficient  in  numbers,  and  sup- 
plied with  men  and  provisions,  and  proper  munitions,  the  resistance 
could  have  been  greatly  protracted.  The  substantial  part  of  the 
fort  was  uninjured,  and  its  subsequent  history  showed  to  what  an 
extent  a  resistance  supported  by  men  and  material,  and  sustained 
by  intelligence  and  determination,  might  be  sucessfully  carried, 
when  the  crumbling  of  its  walls  under  a  fierce  bombardment  only 
served  to  strengthen  its  defensive  power.  From  the  result  of  the 
bombardment,  it  is  clear  that  the  projecting  roofs  and  gables 
about  the  parapet  should  have  been  removed.  The  heavy  mold- 
ings about  the  windows  and  doors  of  the  officers'  quarters,  unneces- 
sary and  in  bad  taste,  only  afforded  fuel  to  the  fire.  The  almost 
destitute  condition  of  its  little  garrison  rendered  the  evacuation  of 
the  fort  unavoidable.  Within  a  few  days,  if  not  hours,  the  fort 
must  have  surrendered  if  no  gun  had  been  fired,  and  it  must  be 
left  to  history  to  account  for  the  fact  that  while  such  an 
assurance  was  positive,  any  necessity  for  such  an  attack  should 
have  existed  beyond  the  gratification  of  a  sentiment.  Notwith- 
standing the  persistence  and  accuracy  of  the  fire  to  which  the  fort 


446 


THE  GENESIS  OP  THE  CIVIL  WAR, 


had  been  subjected,  the  casualties  were  light.  Four  men  were 
slightly  wounded  by  fragments  of  concrete  and  mortar,  one  of 
these  a  mechanic  in  the  employ  of  the  engineer.  Anderson  had 
promptly  withdrawn  his  men  from  all  exposure,  and  the  protection 
afforded  by  the  casemates  was  almost  complete. 

The  men,  released  now  from  all  responsibility,  seemed  to 
change  in  feeling.  They  became  reserved  and  silent.  The 
enthusiasm  that  had  so  long  inspired  them  seemed  to  have  gone, 
and  they  made  ready  to  leave  with  unconcealed  expressions  of 
disappointment. 

But  little  now  remained  to  be  done.  It  had  been  arranged 
that  the  fort  should  be  evacuated  on  Sunday  morning,  the  i4th. 
The  preparations  began  at  an  early  hour.  Permission  to  salute 
his  flag  had  been  accorded  to  him,  and  Anderson  made  arrange- 
ments to  fire  one  hundred  guns.  Every  resource  to  obtain  mate- 
rial for  cartridges  was  exhausted,  and  when  the  command  was  in 
readiness  the  firing  began  under  the  officers  designated,  the  flag 
still  flying  from  the  rampart.  The  guns  yet  serviceable  on  the 
parapet  were  used,  and  the  firing  was  in  progress,  when,  by  the 
premature  discharge  of  one  of  the  large  guns  on  the  right  flank, 
the  right  arm  of  one  of  the  gunners  was  blown  off.  The  wind 
was  blowing  stiffly  from  the  sea,  and  directly  into  the  muzzles  of 
the  guns.  The  cartridges  to  be  used  had  been  placed  by  the 
side  of  each  gun,  amid  the  debris  of  broken  brick  and  mason 
work  and  fragments  of  slate  and  lead  in  a  confused  mass. 
Upon  one  of  the  discharges  an  ignited  fragment  of  one  of  the 
cartridge  bags  was  blown  back  by  the  wind,  and  lighting  upon  the 
pile  of  cartridges  in  rear  of  the  piece,  immediately  ignited  them 
with  fatal  explosion.  The  loose  fragments  of  masonry  were 
driven  in  every  direction.  Of  the  gunners  on  duty  at  the  piece, 
Private  Daniel  Hough,  Co.  E,was  instantly  killed;  Private  Edward 
Galloway,  Co.  E,  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  on  the  igth, 
at  the  Gibbes  Hospital  in  Charleston,  to  which  he  had  been 
kindly  removed  and  treated.  Private  James  Fielding,  Co.  E, 
severely  wounded  and  burned,  was  removed  to  the  "  Chis- 
holm  "  Hospital,  cured,  and  finally  sent  North  without  exchange. 
Three  others  were  injured,  but  were  enabled  to  accompany  the 
command.  The  occurrence  of  this  accident  delayed  the  depart- 
ure of  the  command,  and  induced  Anderson  to  satisfy  himself 
with  a  salute  of  fifty  instead  of  one  hundred  guns.  "  Because  of 


GENERAL  BEAUREGAR&S  REPORT.  44^ 

an  unavoidable  delay,"  said  General  Beauregard,  in  his  official 
report,  "  the  formal  transfer  of  the  fort  to  our  possession  did  not 
take  place  until  4  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  i4th,  when  the 
United  States  troops  evacuated  the  place." 

The  State  troops  detailed  to  occupy  the  work  now  took  pos- 
session. They  consisted  of  the  Palmetto  Guard,  under  Captain 
Cuthbert,  and  a  company  (B)  of  regular  troops,  under  Captain 
Hallonquist,  all  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Ripley.  The  Confederate  flag  was  raised  upon  the  rampart  by 
Captain  Samuel  Ferguson,  aide-de-camp,  who  had  received  the 
keys  of  the  work.  The  flag  of  the  State  was  also  raised  at  the 
same  time. 

In  making  his  preliminary  report  to  his  Government,  the  Con- 
federate general  used  the  following  language: 

"Whilst  the  barracks  in  Fort  Sumter  were  in  a  blaze,  and  the 
interior  of  the  work  appeared  untenable  'from  the  heat  and  from 
the  fire  of  our  batteries  (at  about  which  period  I  sent  three  of  my 
aides  to  offer  assistance  in  the  name  of  the  Confederate  States), 
whenever  the  guns  of  Fort  Sumter  would  fire  upon  Fort  Moultrie 
the  men  occupying  Cummings  Point  batteries  (Palmetto  Guard, 
Captain  Cuthbert)  at  each  shot  would  cheer  Anderson  for  his 
gallantry,  although  themselves  still  firing  upon  him;  and  when  on 
the  i5th  instant  he  left  the  harbor  on  the  steamer  Isabel  the  soldiers 
of  the  batteries  on  Cummings  Point  lined  the  beach,  silent,  and 
with  heads  uncovered,  while  Andersjon  and  his  command  passed 
before  them,  and  expressions  of  scorn  at  the  apparent  cowardice 
of  the  fleet  in  not  even  attempting  to  rescue  so  gallant  an  officer 
and  his  command  were  upon  the  lips  of  all.  With  such  material 
for  an  army,  if  properly  disciplined,  I  would  consider  myself 
almost  invincible  against  any  forces  not  too  greatly  superior. 

"The  fire  of  those  barracks  was  only  put  out  on  the  isth 
instant,  p.  M.,  after  great  exertions  by  the  gallant  fire  companies 
of  this  city,  who  were  at  their  pumps  night  and  day,  although 
aware  that  close  by  them  was  a  magazine  filled  with  thirty  thou- 
sand pounds  of  powder,  with  a  shot-hole  through  the  wall  of  its 
anteroom." 

By  Anderson's  orders  the  men  were  formed  upon  the  parade, 
and  marched  out  under  Doubleday  with  their  flags,  the  drums 
beating  the  national  air.  A  large  crowd  had  collected  on  vessels 
and  steamers  and  in  boats,  and  had  surrounded  the  fort  to  witness 


448  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

its  evacuation.  Great  enthusiasm  prevailed  as  the  command 
embarked  upon  the  boat  that  was  to  convey  them  to  the 
steamer.  Owing  to  the  accident,  their  departure  had  been 
delayed — the  surgeon  of  the  fort  remaining  until  the  last,  in  attend- 
ance upon  the  mortally  wounded  man,  who  expired — until  near 
sundown,  when  it  was  too  late  to  cross  the  bar.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  isth  the  steamer  proceeded  to  the  bar,  where  the 
entire  command  was  transferred  to  the  Baltic,  where  every  atten- 
tion was  shown  to  them  by  the  officers  of  the  fleet.  The  Baltic 
was  soon  underway  northward,  and  as  she  put  to  sea  the  men 
lingered  upon  her  deck  until  the  receding  fort  had  sunk  upon  the 
horizon 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Return  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Sumter  to  New  York — Their  separation  for  ser- 
vice—Their individual  careers  in  the  war — Present  condition  of  the  fort  - 
Wholly  changed  in  appearance  and  in  its  armament  —Main  defense  of  the 
harbor. 

A  QUARTER  of  a  century  has  now  passed  away,  since  the 
events  related  in  the  preceding  pages  took  place,  and  it  may  be 
of  interest  to  trace  the  record  of  the  officers  whose  accidental 
position  brought  them  so  prominently  into  view  at  the  very  begin- 
ning of  the  difficulties.  Upon  the  evacuation  of  the  fort,  the 
transport  Baltic,  with  the  officers  and  men  of  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Sumter,  made  its  way  to  the  North.  As  she  entered  the 
harbor  of  New  York,  the  flag  they  had  defended  was  placed  at 
the  fore  as  the  vessel  passed  along  amid  the  loud  welcome  of  the 
people.  It  was  now  that  Anderson  made  the  only  report  he  ever 
made  of  the  attack  upon  the  fort.  His  physical  as  well  as  his  mental 
condition  was  such  that  he  requested  Captain  G.  V.  Fox  to  write 
the  despatch  for  him,  which  was  accordingly  done  and  telegraphed 
to  Washington  upon  the  arrival  of  the  ship.  It  was  as  follows: 

"STEAMSHIP    Baltic,  OFF   SANDY    HOOK, 

"  April  18,  1861,  10:30  A.  M.,  via  New  York. 

"  Having  defended  Fort  Sumter  for  thirty-four  hours,  until 
the  quarters  were  entirely  burned,  the  main  gates  destroyed  1  y 
fire,  the  gorge  walls  seriously  impaired,  the  magazine  surrounded 
by  flames,  and  its  door  closed  from  the  effects  of  the  heat,  four 
barrels  and  three  cartridges  of  powder  only  being  available,  and 
no  provisions  remaining  but  pork,  I  accepted  terms  of  evacuation 
offered  by  General  Beauregard  (being  the  same  offered  by  him 
on  the  nth  instant,  prior  to  the  commencement  of  hostilities), 
and  marched  out  of  the  fort  on  Sunday  afternoon,  the  i4th 
instant,  with  colors  flying  and  drums  beating,  bringing  away 
company  and  private  property,  and  saluting  my  flag  with  fifty 
guns. 

' '  ROBERT  ANDERSON,  Major  First  Artillery. 

"  Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

"WASHINGTON,    D.    C." 

Upon  their  arrival  they  were  received  with  an  enthusiasm  and 

449 


TfjE  GENESIS  OF  7 HE  CIVIL  WAR. 

demonstration  seldom  exceeded  and  wholly  exceptional,  and  the 
interest  then  manifested  by  the  generous  heart  of  New  York  con- 
tinued to  follow  them  through  their  subsequent  service.  In  the 
issues  of  the  fiercely  contested  war  that  followed  the  firing  upon 
their  fort,  they  were  temporarily  lost  to  view,  as  each  one  fol- 
lowed the  career  incidental  to  his  position,  and  they  parted  not  to 
meet  again  until  its  close.  Widely  separated,  they  served  mainly 
in  different  armies,  and  in  every  section  of  the  country;  and,  with 
the  exception  of  Major  Anderson  himself,  in  every  condition  of 
active  service.  On  the  aoth  of  April,  by  the  direction  of  the 
President,  the  following  communication  was  made  by  the  War 
Department  to  the  officers  and  men : 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

"WASHINGTON,  April    2O,   l8oi 

"  Major  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"Late  Commanding  at  Fort  Sumter. 

" My  Dear  Sir:  I  am  directed  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  communicate  to  you,  and  through  you  to  the  officers 
and  the  men  under  your  command,  at  Forts  Moultrie  and  Sum- 
ter, the  approbation  of  the  Government  of  your  and  their  judi- 
cio.us  and  gallant  conduct  there,  and  to  tender  to  you  and  them 
the  thanks  of  the  Government  for  the  same. 
"I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully, 

"  SIMON  CAMERON, 

"Secretary  of  War" 

Of  the  officers  of  Fort  Sumter  one  alone  failed  in  his  allegi- 
ance: Second  Lieutenant  R.  K.  Meade,  Corps  of  Engineers,  who 
had  distinguished  himself  in  his  service  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  who 
had  commanded  a  battery  during  the  bombardment,  resigned  his 
position  upon  the  secession  of  Virginia,  to  follow  the  fortunes  of 
his  State.  He  was  on  duty  in  the  fortifications  of  Richmond, 
and  falling  ill,  he  died  in  July,  1861.  Of  the  ten  officers  of  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Sumter,  six  rose  to  the  position  of  general  officers, 
and  exercised  active  command,  from  the  brigade  to  the  corps. 
But  three  survive. 

Major  Anderson  was  made  a  brigadier-general  in  the  regular 
army,  and  "  was  soon  after  sent  to  his  native  State,  Kentucky,  to 
assist  in  organizing  and  directing  the  Union  element  there."  He 
was  subsequently  placed  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the 
Cumberland.  His  health  failing,  he  was  relieved  from  duty 
shortly  afterward,  and  in  October,  1863,  he  was,  at  his  own 


EFFECT  OF  BOMBARDMENT, 


45 


452 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


request,  placed  upon  the  retired  list  of  the  army.  He  traveled 
abroad,  his  health  continuing  to  fail  him,  when  on  the  271*1  of 
October,  1871,  he  died  at  Nice,  Italy.  He  was  brevetted  "a 
major-general  for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  in  Charleston 
Harbor." 

Captain  J.  G.  Foster,  the  senior  engineer  officer,  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  was  tendered  the  position  of  major  of  the  Eleventh 
United  States  Infantry  shortly  after  the  return  of  the  command 
from  Fort  Sumter,  which  he  declined.  He  was  shortly  afterward 
appointed  a  brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  was  engaged  in 
the  Roanoke  Island  expedition  and  the  capture  of  Newbern.  He 
rose  to  the  rank  of  major-general  of  Volunteers,  and  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  the  Department  of  Virginia  and  North  Caro- 
lina; subsequently,  for  a  short  period,  to  the  command  of  the 
Army  and  the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  and  finally  to  that  of  the 
South  and  of  Florida,  serving  through  the  war.  He  was  brevetted 
major  in  the  regular  army  for  the  distinguished  part  taken  by  him 
in  the  transfer  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter, 
and  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel  for  gallant  and  meritorious 
service  at  Roanoke  Island  and  at  Newbern.  For  the  capture  of 
Savannah  he  was  brevetted  a  brigadier-general  in  the  army,  and 
major-general  "  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  in  the  field 
during  the  Rebellion."  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to 
duty  in  his  corps  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  engineers,  and  was 
upon  temporary  duty  in  Washington.  He  died  on  the  2d  of 
September,  1874. 

First  Lieutenant  George  W.  Snyder,  Corps  of  Engineers,  who 
was  in  immediate  charge  of  the  work  at  Fort  Sumter  before  the 
movement  from  Moultrie,  remained  on  duty  with  his  corps  after 
the  return  of  the  command  to  the  North.  He  was  on  duty  in  the 
fortifications  of  Washington,  and  as  engineer  of  the  third  division 
of  the  Army  of  Northeastern  Virginia,  and  participated  in  the 
first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  or  Manassas.  For  gallant  and  meritori- 
ous services  at  Fort  Sumter  he  was  brevetted  captain  in  the  regular 
army  and  major  for  similar  service  "  in  the  Manassas  campaign." 
While  on  duty  near  Washington  he  fell  ill,  and  died  on  the  iyth 
of  November,  1861. 

Assistant  Surgeon  S.  W.  Crawford  was  appointed  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. After  the  return  of  the  command  from  Fort  Sumter  to 
New  York  he  was  tendered  the  position  of  major  in  the  Thir- 


SUBSEQUENT  RECORD  OF  THE  OFFICERS. 

teenth  United  States  Infantry,  which  he  finally  accepted,  and 
was  ordered  to  duty  under  Major-General  Rosecrans,  then 
actively  engaged  in  West  Virginia.  He  served  upon  his  staff 
as  Inspector-General  of  the  Department  until  the  retreat  of 
Floyd  and  the  successful  close  of  the  campaign.  He  was  one 
of  the  two  officers  named  by  General  Rosecrans  in  response  to  a 
request  from  Washington  for  promotion  to  brigadier-general,  and 
was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah.  He  was 
present  at  the  second  battle  of  Winchester,  and  commanded  the 
advance  to  Culpepper  and  to  Cedar  Mountain,  where  in  the  attack 
upon  the  right  he  lost  one-half  of  his  brigade.  His  corps  being 
incorporated  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  was  present  at 
South  Mountain,  and  commanded  a  division  at  the  battle  of 
Antietam  after  the  death  of  General  Mansfield  — his  corps  com- 
mander— and  where  he  was  severely  wounded.  He  rejoined  the 
army  on  the  march  to  Gettysburg,  having  been  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  Third  Division  of  the  Fifth  Corps  (Pennsylvania 
Reserves),  participating  in  the  battle  upon  the  left  of  the  line  at 
the  Round  Tops.  Upon  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  in 
this  organization  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  regiments  of 
theold  First  Corps,  then  incorporated  with  the  Fifth  as  the  Third 
Division  of  that  corps.  This  division  he  commanded  through  the 
Rapidan  campaign,  from  Bethesda  Church  through  the  siege  of 
Petersburg,  the  battle  of  Five  Forks  and  the  surrender  of  Lee's 
army  at  Appomattox.  For  "gallant  and  meritorious  services 
at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg"  he  was  brevetted  colonel  in  the 
regular  army;  brigadier-general  "for  gallant  and  meritorious 
service  at  the  battle  of  Five  Forks;"  major-general  of  volunteers 
"  for  conspicuous  gallantry  in  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Spot- 
sylvania  Court  House,  Jericho  Mills,  Bethesda  Church,  Petersburg 
and  Globe  Tavern  (Weldon  Railroad),  and  for  faithful  service  in 
the  campaign;"  rnajor-general  in  the  regular  army  "for  gallant 
and  meritorious  service  in  the  field  during  the  war."  He  became 
colonel  of  the  Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry  in  1869,  and 
upon  the  reduction  of  the  army,  which  immediately  followed,  he 
was  transferred  to  the  Second  Regiment  of  Infantry,  and  was 
assigned  to  duty  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  under  the  reconstruction 
act,  for  three  years.  His  disability  increasing,  he  made  applica- 
tion for  retirement,  when  he  was  retired  by  special  enactment  with 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general  (ipth  of  February,  1873). 


4  "4    '  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Of  the  officers  of  the  line,  Captain  Abner  Doubleday,  a 
native  of  New  York,  had  been  second  in  command  at  Fort  Sum- 
ter.  After  its  fall  he  was  appointed  major  in  the  Seventeenth 
United  States  Infantry,  and  served  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
and  subsequently  in  the  artillery  defenses  of  Washington.  Early 
in  1862  he  was  made  a  brigadier-general  of  Volunteers.  In  May 
he  joined  the  army  under  General  McDowell.  He  commanded 
a  brigade,  and  subsequently  a  division,  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run.  His  brigade  soon 
after  formed  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  with  it  he 
served  at  the  battles  of  South  Mountain  and  Antietam.  In  the 
latter  action  he  commanded  a  division  after  the  wounding  of 
General  Hatch.  In  November,  1862,  he  was  made  a  major-gen- 
eral of  Volunteers,  and  commanded  a  division  of  the  First  Corps 
at  Fredericksburg  under  Burnside,  and  subsequently  under 
Hatch  at  Chancellorsville.  At  Gettysburg  he  commanded  the 
first  corps  of  the  army  in  the  fight  of  the  first  day,  when  it  sus- 
tained the  fierce  attack  of  the  Confederate  forces  until  overpow- 
ered. At  the  close  of  the  war  he  assumed  his  position  as  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  his  regiment.  He  became  colonel  of  the  Thirty- 
fifth  United  States  Infantry,  and  was  on  duty  in  California  and 
Texas,  when  from  impaired  health  he  retired  from  the  active 
service  of  the  army  in  December,  1873,  on  tne  lineal  rank  of 
colonel.  After  thirty  years  service  he  was  brevetted  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  regular  army  "  for  gallant  and  meritorious  service 
in  the  battle  of  Antietam;"  colonel  by  brevet  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  service  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  ;  brigadier  and 
major  general  by  brevet  for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  dur- 
ing the  war. 

Brevet  Captain  Truman  Seymour  was  a  native  of  Vermont. 
He  served  in  the  defenses  of  Washington  and  as  chief  of  artillery 
of  McCall's  division,  in  which  he  subsequently  commanded  a 
brigade.  He  was  appointed  a  brigadier-general  of  Volunteers  in 
April,  1862,  and  participated  in  the  Peninsular  campaign,  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  in  the  campaign  in  Maryland  at 
South  Mountain  and  Antietam.  Subsequently  he  served  in  the 
Department  of  the  South  as  chief  of  staff  and  of  artillery  to  the 
commanding  general,  and  later  in  command  of  a  division  in  the 
operations  in  Charleston  Harbor.  He  commanded  at  the  assault 
upon  Fort  Wagner,  in  July,  1863,  where  he  wag  severely  wounded, 


SUBSEQUENT  RECORD  OF  LIE UTENANT  DA  VIS.      455 

In  1864  he  was  in  command  of  the  District  of  Florida  and  fought 
the  battle  of  Olustee.  Subsequently  he  commanded  a  brigade 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  the  Rapidan,  where  he  was 
captured.  He  rejoined  the  army  upon  being  exchanged,  and 
commanded  a  division  at  the  siege  of  Petersburg  and  the  capitu- 
lation of  Lee's  army  at  Appomattox  C.  H.  For  gallant  and 
meritorious  service  during  the  defense  of  Sumter  he  was  bre- 
vetted  major  in  the  regular  army  ;  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel 
for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  at  South  Mountain  and 
Antietam  ;  brigadier-general  for  gallant  and  meritorious  service 
in  the  capture  of  Petersburg  ;  major-general  of  volunteers  "  for 
ability  and  energy  in  handling  his  division,  and  for  gallantry 
and  valuable  service  in  action,"  and  major-general  in  the  regular 
army  for  "gallant  and  meritorious  service  during  the  war."  In 
November,  1876,  he  was  retired  from  the  active  service  of  the 
army  with  the  lineal  rank  of  major. 

First  Lieutenant  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  born  in  Indiana,  was  ap- 
pointed colonel  of  the  Twenty-second  Indiana  Volunteers,  1861, 
and  participated  in  the  campaigns  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  In 
May,  1862,  he  was  appointed  a  brigadier-general,  and  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Stone  River  and  the  campaign  against  Chattanooga,  and 
the  actions  of  Chickamauga,  Missionary  Ridge  and  the  opera- 
tions around  Atlanta,  he  rendered  valuable  service.  He  marched 
in  command  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps  "with  Sherman  to 
the  sea,"  and  was  present  at  the  capture  of  Savannah  and  the 
surrender  of  Johnson.  He  was  subsequently  in  command  of  the 
Department  of  Kentucky,  and  finally  of  Alaska  in  1867-70.  All 
of  the  brevets  conferred  upon  him  were  for  gallantry  in  action. 
For  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge 
he  was  made  major  by  brevet  in  the  regular  army.  For  similar 
conduct  at  the  battles  of  Resaca  and  of  Rome,  in  Georgia,  he 
was  made  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel  by  brevet,  and  both 
brigadier-general  and  brevet  major-general  in  the  regular  army 
for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  at  the  battles  of  Kenesaw 
Mountain  and  of  Jonesboro,  Ga.  He  became  colonel  of  the 
Twenty-third  infantry  by  regular  promotion,  and  was  on  duty  in 
Alaska,  and  continued  in  active  service  until  the  3oth  of  Novem- 
ber, 1879,  when  he  died. 

First  Lieutenant  Theodore  Talbot  was  appointed  from  Ken- 
tucky in  1847.  He  served  in  Fort  Sumter  as  first  lieutenant 


456 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL   WAR. 


PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  FORT  SUMTER.  457 

of  Captain  Seymour's  company  ;  an  intelligent  and  able  officer, 
he  was  employed  by  Major  Anderson  as  the  bearer  of  confidential 
despatches  to  Washington,  but  was  refused  permission  by  the  South 
Carolina  authorities  to  return  to  the  fort.  He  was  appointed  Assis- 
tant Adjutant-General  in  the  army  on  the  i5th  of  March,  1861, 
while  in  Fort  Sumter.  He  was  chief  of  staff  to  General  Mansfield, 
commanding  the  defenses  of  Washington.  He  became  major  in 
his  corps,  and  while  serving  as  chief  of  staff  to  General  Wadsworth, 
Military  Governor  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  he  died,  April  22, 
1862.  He  was  brevetted  captain  and  Assistant  Adjutant-General, 
1 6th  of  March,  1861,  and  brevetted  major  in  the  same  Depart- 
ment in  July  of  same  year. 

Second  Lieutenant  Norman  J.  Hall,  who  was  Major  Ander- 
son's adjutant  at  Fort  Sumter,  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
appointed  from  Michigan.  After  the  fall  of  the  work  he  was  on 
duty  with  his  regiment,  when  he  was  made  Chief  of  Artillery  of 
Hooker's  Division,  and  served  with  the  army  of  the  Potomac  in 
the  Peninsular  campaign,  and  in  1862  upon  the  staff  of  the  com- 
manding general.  He  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Seventh 
Michigan  Volunteers,  which  he  commanded  at  Antietam,  where 
he  was  brevetted  captain  in  the  regular  army  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  services  in  that  battle.  He  was  made  major  by  brevet 
for  similar  services  at  Fredericksburg.  At  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg he  rendered  distinguished  services  while  in  command  of  a 
brigade,  and  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  by  brevet.  Falling  ill, 
he  was  discharged  from  the  volunteer  service  on  "surgeon's 
certificate  of  disability"  in  1864,  and  was  finally  retired  from 
the  active  service  of  the  army  on  the  22d  of  February,  1865,  for 
disability  resulting  from  long  and  faithful  service,  and  disease 
contracted  in  the  line  of  duty.  In  May,  1867,  he  died. 

Of  the  fort  itself,  but  a  semblance  of  its  original  structure 
remains,  the  requirements  of  modern  warfare  having  wholly 
changed  its  character.  Its  lofty  walls  of  fifty  feet,  enclosing  its 
three  tiers  of  guns,  have  been  reduced  to  a  low  battery  of  half 
the  size,  with  its  loo-pounder  guns  in  casemate,  and  a  battery 
of  n-inch  rifles  upon  its  barbette.  The  walls  in  front  of  the 
gun  casemates  on  the  channel  front  still  show  the  marks  of 
Moultrie's  fire.  Its  old  armament  has  been  replaced  by  a  power- 
ful battery,  which  may  yet  be  strengthened ;  its  old  barracks  and 
quarters  are  gone  and  not  replaced,  while  upon  its  restricted 


458 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


parade  stand  its  bomb-proof  magazines  and  its  covered  ways 
communicating  with  its  tiers  of  guns. 

In  its  reconstruction,  as  in  its  original  structure,  the  Govern- 
ment has  been  indifferent  to  any  other  purpose  than  that  of  secur- 
ing the  defense  of  the  harbor. 

More  powerful  than  ever,  it  stands  to-day,  as  it  has  ever  stood, 
that  main  defense,  as  its  brilliant  history  has  abundantly  shown. 
It  commands  by  its  guns  the  only  approach  by  the  new  channel 
for  ships  of  war,  while  above  it  and  over  the  shores  of  the  beauti- 
ful harbor  of  Charleston  floats  in  peace  the  flag  of  the  country 


APPENDIX    I. 

SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION. 

IN  my  work  I  have  had  the  valuable  assistance  of  many  dis- 
tinguished people.  Documents  of  greater  or  less  value  have  been 
placed  in  my  hands  by  citizens  representing  both  sides  of  the 
question.  From  the  South  I  have  exhaustively  drawn,  whenever 
information  could  be  obtained,  either  from  official  or  private 
sources.  No  application  was  ever  made  by  me  for  authentic  docu- 
ments bearing  upon  the  transactions,  to  anyone  in  possession  of 
them,  without  being  met  by  a  cordial  and  prompt  acquiescence. 
No  suggestion  tending  to  bias  my  judgment  was  ever  made  to  me; 
and,  in  placing  the  documents  in  my  possession,  the  simple  wish 
was  expressed  that  the  truth  might  be  told.  The  course  of  the 
war,  and  its  vicissitudes  in  South  Carolina,  the  partial  destruction 
of  its  principal  city,  and  subsequently  of  its  capital,  the  pillage  of 
the  public  records  in  Columbia  at  a  later  date,  together  with  the 
mutilation  of  what  was  left,  rendered  the  compilation  of  any  history 
from  the  public  papers  a  very  difficult  task.  What  is  now  left  of 
the  minutes  of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  State  is  but  a  frag- 
ment of  what  would  otherwise  have  been  a  most  valuable  contri- 
bution to  the  history  of  the  time.  It  is  now  impossible  to  compile 
from  any  public  documents  anything  like  a  complete  history  of 
South  Carolina.  The  proceedings  of  the  Convention  which  passed 
the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  as  also  the  official  reports  of  its  public 
men,  were  published  at  the  period  of  their  occurrence.  Copies  of 
these  were  secured  shortly  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  are  now 
in  my  possession.  Much,  however,  was  in  manuscripts  and  in 
private  hands,  either  of  the  actors  in  the  scene  or  their  families. 
To  these  I  have  had  access.  Among  the  most  valuable  are  those 
of  the  late  Governor  Francis  W.  Pickens.  He  was  the  chief  figure 
of  the  early  days  of  the  revolution,  and  I  desire  here  to  acknowl- 
edge gratefully  the  action  of  her  who  generously  placed  in  my 
hands  the  papers  of  her  husband.  «'ithout  reserve  or  imposition  of  a 
single  obligation. 

459 


460 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


While  in  command  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  in  1869-70  I  was 
brought  into  association  with  Gensral  L.  P.  Walker,  the  first  Sec- 
retary of  War  of  the  Confederacy,  from  whom  I  obtained  much 
information  of  value.  He  placed  in  my  hands  the  Official  Letter- 
Book  of  the  Confederate  War  Department  from  the  beginning  of 
the  war,  containing  over  600  letters.* 

In  the  archives  at  Washington,  with  the  exception  of  the  War 
Department,  there  is  no  connected  record  of  the  events  of  this 
period,  and  scarcely  a  mention  of  the  political  complications  in  the 
matter  of  Fort  Sumter  in  any  of  the  Departments. 

The  latter  portion  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration  has  been 
portrayed  in  an  important  and  valuable  narrative  written  imme- 
diately after  the  war,  by  the  Hon.  W.  H.  Trescot,  Assistant 
Secretary  of  State  during  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration.  Con- 
spicuously prominent  in  the  events,  his  able  narrative  is  valuable 
as  that  of  an  eyewitness  to  the  transactions,  and  much  of  it  is 
given  in  his  own  graphic  language. 

During  two  winters  spent  at  York,  Penn.,  I  was  admit- 
ted to  the  friendship  of  Judge  J.  S.  Black,  the  Attorney-General, 
and  subsequently  the  Secretary  of  State  in  Mr.  Buchanan' s  Cabinet. 
To  him,  and  to  his  son,  Lieutenant-Governor  C.  F.  Black,  and  to  his 
clear  and  able  views,  I  feel  an  indebtedness  for  assistance  in  my 
work  that  merits  more  than  this  mere  acknowledgment.  In  many 
and  exhaustive  conversations,  oft  repeated,  his  wonderful  memory 
still  vigorous,  Judge  Black  recalled  the  events  of  those  days  with 
a  freshness  equal  almost  to  the  written  record.  From  the  surv'v- 
ors  in  Charleston  and  in  the  State  I  have  received  all  the  assist- 
ance they  could  render.  It  seems  invidious  to  discriminate, 
yet  I  may  be  permitted  to  mention  especially  my  great  indebted- 
ness to  Ex-Governor  A.  G.  Magrath,  Ex-Judge  of  the  United 
States  District  Court,  who  was  perhaps  the  most  potential  factor 
of  the  period,  and  who  influenced  its  course  at  the  moment  of 


*  Upon  the  breaking  up  of  the  Confederate  Government  at  Richmond,  in 
1865,  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  War  Department  possessed  himself  of  this  "  Letter- 
Book."  Some  years  afterward  he  approached  "Parson  "  Brownlow,  of  Ten- 
nessee, with  an  offer  to  transfer  the  book  to  him  for  $100.  Parson  Brownlow 
replied  that  he  would  not  give  100  cents  for  all  of  the  correspondence  of  the 
Confederacy;  when  the  person  in  possession  of  the  book  offered  it  to  Gen- 
eral L.  P.  Walker,  who  secured  it  and  placed  it  in  my  hands.— General  L.  P. 
Walker  to  author,  1871. 


SOURCES  OF  INFORMA  TION,  46 1 

separation  more  than  any  other  single  person,  as  well  as  to  R.  B. 
Rhett,  Jr.,  to  the  Hon.  Isaac  Hayne,  to  Colonel  R.  S.  Simon- 
ton,  to  Edward  McCready,  Jr.,  to  Mayor  Courtenay,  all  of 
whom  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost  to  place  me  in  posses- 
sion of  all  the  facts  in  their  knowledge.  From  General  J. 
Holt,  who  was  the  Postmaster-General,  and  subsequently  the 
Secretary  of  War  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  Cabinet,  I  have  obtained 
interesting  and  valuable  details.  Of  that  period  of  Mr.  Lincoln's 
administration  from  the  inauguration  until  Fort  Sumter  was  fired 
upon,  I  have  obtained  the  fullest  information  from  the  Hon.  F. 
W.  Seward,  who  was  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  at  that 
time.  Access  to  the  papers  of  his  father,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
has  been  accorded  me,  and  also  to  his  private  correspondence 
during  that  period.  To  him  and  to  the  Ex-Associate  Justice 
Jno.  A.  Campbell,  I  am  indebted  for  important  papers  relating  to 
the  period  just  prior  to  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter.  To  the 
Postmaster-General,  Mr.  Montgomery  Blair,  I  owe  a  great  obli- 
gation for  the  frank  and  outspoken  statements  furnished  to  me, 
both  oral  and  written;  and  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Cameron, 
whose  singularly  clear  memory  of  the  events  still  remains,  and 
was  cheerfully  given.  The  principal  sources  from  which  I  have 
drawn  the  material  of  my  narrative  are  as  follows  ; 

1.  Reports,  resolutions  and  journals  of  the  General  Assembly  of 

South  Carolina,  1861. 

2.  Conventions  of  South  Carolina,  1832,  1853  and  1857. 

3.  Messages  of  Governors  Gist  and  F.  W.  Pickens,  of  South 

Carolina,  1860,  1861  and  1862. 

4.  Private  and  public  papers,  letters  of  Governor  F.  W.  Pickens, 

1860,  1 86 1  and  1862. 

5.  Journal  of  the  Convention  of  South  Carolina,  1860,  1861. 

6.  Reports  of  Heads  of  Departments,   South  Carolina,    1860, 

1861,  after  the  secession  of  the  State. 

7.  Confederate  documents  relative  to  Fort  Sumter.    These  were 

obtained  from  Montgomery  Blair,  Ex-Postmaster-Genera]. 

8.  Official  correspondence  of  L.  P.  Walker,   Secretary  of  War, 

1 86 1,  Confederate  War  Department. 

9.  Ordinances  and  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Alabama,  with 

the  Constitution  of  the  Provisional  Government,  1861. 
10.  Reports  and  private  letters  of  General  P.   T.  Beauregard, 
C.  S.  A. 


462 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


11.  Acts  and  resolutions  of  the  Provisional  Congress  of  the  Con- 

federate States,  1 86 1. 

12.  Correspondence  of  the  Confederate  Commissioners  Crawford, 

Roman  and  Forsyth  with  the  Confederate  Government  at 
Montgomery,  from  February  7,  1861,  to  April  n,  1861. 
(These  are  from  the  original  papers  purchased  by  the 
Government  through  John  A.  Pickett,  of  Washington.) 

13.  Executive    Document  No.  5.     Correspondence    between   the 

Hon.  J.  W.  Hayne  and  the  President  relative  to  Fort 
Sumter,  1861. 

14.  "  The  record  of  Fort  Sumter  from  its  occupation  by  Major 

Anderson  to  its  reduction  by  Confederate  S:ates  troops, 
1862."  Columbia,  S.  C.,  1862,  W.  A.  Harris. 

15.  From  "  Buchanan's  Administration  "  I  have  drawn  largely. 

and  often  in  the  words  of  the  writer,  as  more  forcible  than 
any  I  could  use,  and  it  may  be  that  credit  has  not  always 
been  given  in  the  text.  Especial  acknowledgment  is  due, 
therefore,  to  this  important  work  for  the  part  his  expres- 
sions will  play  in  this  narrative. 

16.  Contributions  of  the  Old  Residents'   Historical  Association. 

Lowell,  Mass.,  Vol.  II.,  No.  i,  1880. 

17.  Statement,  letters  and  reports  of  Captain  G.  V.  Fox,   United 

States  Navy.     Powhatan  and  relief  of  Sumter  expedition. 

18.  Papers  of  Ex-Associate  Justice  John  A.  Campbell,   United 

States  Supreme  Court.  Historical  sketch.  Correspond- 
ence with  Southern  Commissioners.  MSS.  "  Facts  of 
History." 

19.  The  ''War  of  the  Rebellion;  "   A  Compilation  of  the  Official 

Records  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies.  Washing- 
ton: Government  Printing  Office,  1880.  Vol.  I,  Series  i. 

20.  Messages   and  accompanying  documents  of  Presidents  Bu- 

chanan and  Lincoln,  1860-1861. 

21.  Congressional  Record,  1860-1861. 

22.  Official  opinions,  public  and  private  papers,  of  the  Hon.  W.  H. 

Seward,  Secretary  of  State. 

23.  Notes  and  journal  of  letters,  official  and  private,  of  Major- 

General  M.  C.  Meigs,  U.  S.  A.,  Powhatan  and  Fort 
Pickens. 

24.  Doubleday's  "Moultrie  and  Sumter." 

25.  Statement  of  Admiral  D.  D.  Porter,  relating  to  the  Pmvhatan. 


SO  URCES  OF  IN  FORM  A  TION.  463 

26.  Executive  Documents,  South  Carolina.     No.  i  to  No.  6. 

27.  Personal   journal  of  daily  events,  from  the  meeting  of  the 

South  Carolina  Convention   until  the  evacuation  of  Fort 
Sumter. 

28.  "  Life  of  James  Buchanan,"  by  George  Ticknor  Curtis. 

In  the  course  of  the  preparation  of  my  work  I  have  twice  vis- 
ited the  scene  of  the  events  related  in  my  narrative,  and  have 
gone  over  the  record  with  the  prominent  survivors.  There  are 
yet  many  facts  of  detail  and  of  interest  unrecorded,  which  must 
now  remain  to  be  incorporated,  should  the  reception  of  the  work 
warrant  further  illustration.  It  might  be  alleged  that  subjects 
not  immediately  connected  with  the  "  Genesis  of  the  Civil  War  " 
have  been  introduced  into  the  narrative ;  but  these  belong 
wholly  to  the  "  Story  of  Sumter,"  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Pow- 
hatan  and  the  reinforcement  of  Fort  Pickens,  could  not  be  told 
intelligently  except  in  detail. 

Other  high  and  important  sources  of  information  have  been 
freely  drawn  upon,  and  probably  there  are  none  of  greater  historic 
value  than  the  responses  made  to  specific  inquiries  addressed  by 
me  to  the  prominent  survivors  of  the  struggle,  and  which  are 
nowhere  else  a  matter  of  record.  The  authorities  above  men- 
tioned will  show  the  character  of  the  references  I  have  relied 
upon  to  form  my  story,  and  to  strengthen  my  own  recorded 
observations  and  recollections  of  the  events  as  they  occurred. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


APPENDIX  II. 

HEADQUARTERS,  PROV.  FORCES, 
CHARLESTON,  S.  C,  U.  S.  A.,  April  6,  1861. 
GENERAL  ORDER  ) 
No.  9.  ) 

THE  following  general  instructions  are  issued  for  the  govern- 
ment of  commanders  of  batteries,  and  will  be  furnished  by  them 
to  captains  of  batteries  under  their  command. 

I.  Should  Fort  Sumter  at  any  time  fire  upon  the  works  on 
Morris,  James,  or  Sullivan's  islands,  or  on  any  vessel  or  steamer 
in  the  service  of  or  friendly  to  the  Confederate  States,  this  act  of 
aggression  will  be  the  signal  for  the  commencement  of  hostilities  ; 
the  mortar,  enfilade  and  other  batteries  of  the  harbor  bearing  on 
Fort  Sumter  will  immediately  open  their  fire  upon  it,  with  a  view, 
first,  to  dismount  as  many  of  the  guns  as  possible,  and  then  to 
effect  a  breach,  if  practicable.     Great  care  should  be  taken  not 
to  fire  rapidly,  but  accurately. 

The  order  to  fire  slowly  but  surely  should  be  strictly  enforced. 
There  must  be  no  waste  of  powder,  shot  or  shells,  the  object 
being  to  worry  out  the  garrison,  if  practicable. 

II.  The  mortar  batteries  will  continue  their  firing  day  and  night 
at  the  rate,  collectively,  in  the  daytime,  of  one  shell  every  two 
minutes,  and  at  night  of  one  every  ten  minutes.      There  being 
sixteen  mortars  in  position  (four  at  Fort  Johnson,  two  near  the 
Moultrie  House,  two  near  Sullivan's  Island  point,  two  at  Mount 
Pleasant,  and  six  at  Cummings  Point),  each  mortar  will  be  fired 
every  thirty-two  minutes  in  the  first  case,   and  once  every   two 
hours  and  forty  minutes  in  the  second. 

III.  The  batteries  opposite  to  each  other  will  endeavor  to 
fire  in  succession  in  relative  proportion  to  their  armaments,  and 
so  as  to  cause  their  shells  to  explode  sometimes  immediately  over 
and  within  Fort  Sumter,  and  at  other  times  on  its  parade  or  inte- 
rior ground.    The  firing,  having  been  commenced  by  the  Moultrie 
House  mortar  battery  (Captain  Butler),  will  be  continued  in  the 
following  order  :  first  by  the  Fort  Johnson  (Captain  James),  in 

464 


APPENDIX.  465 

the  proportion  of  two  shells  from  the  latter  to  one  from  the  for- 
mer; then  by  Cummings  Point  mortar  batteries  (Major  Stevens 
and  Captain  King),  followed  by  Sullivan's  Island  point  mortar 
battery  (Captain  Hallonquist),  and  then  last  by  the  Mount  Pleasant 
mortar  battery  (Captain  Martin),  in  the  proportion  of  three  shells 
from  the  Cummings  Point  mortar  battery  to  one  from  each  of 
the  two  batteries. 

IV.  Commanders  of  batteries  to  make  application  for  addi- 
tional ammunition. 

V.  Lights  carefully  placed,  and  batteries  to  open  on  Sumter 
at  the  signal. 


APPENDIX  III. 

EXTRACT  from  the  message  of  President  Lincoln  transmitted 
to  the  37th  Congress,  called  in  general  session  in  July,  1861. 
*****  * 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  presidential  term,  four  months 
ago,  the  functions  of  the  Federal  Government  were  found  to  be 
generally  suspended  within  the  several  States  of  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Florida,  excepting 
only  those  of  the  Post  Office  Department. 

Within  these  States  all  the  forts,  arsenals,  dock-yards,  custom 
houses  and  the  like,  including  the  movable  and  stationary  prop- 
erty in  and  about  them,  had  been  seized,  and  were  held  in  open 
hostility  to  the  Government,  excepting  only  Forts  Pickens,  Tay- 
lor and  Jefferson,  on  and  near  the  Florida  coast,  and  Fort  Sum- 
ter,  in  Charleston  Harbor,  South  Carolina. 

The  forts  thus  seized  had  been  put  in  improved  condition, 
new  ones  had  been  built,  and  armed  forces  had  been  organ- 
ized, all  avowedly  with  the  same  hostile  purpose.  The  forts 
remaining  in  the  possession  of  the  Federal  Government,  in 
and  near  those  States,  were  either  besieged  or  menaced  by  warlike 
preparations,  and  especially  Fort  Sumter  was  nearly  surrounded 
by  well-protected  hostile  batteries,  with  guns  equal  in  quality  to 
the  best  of  its  own,  and  outnumbering  the  latter  as  perhaps  ten  to 
one.  A  disproportionate  share  of  the  Federal  muskets  and  rifles 
had  somehow  found  their  way  into  those  States,  and  had  been 
seized  to  be  used  against  the  Government. 

Accumulations  of  the  public  revenue  lying  within  them  had 
been  seized  for  the  same  object.  The  Navy  was  scattered  in 
distant  seas,  leaving  but  a  very  small  part  of  it  within  the  imme- 
diate reach  of  the  Government.  Officers  of  the  Federal  Army 
and  Navy  had  resigned  in  great  numbers,  and  of  those  resigned  a 
large  proportion  had  taken  up  arms  against  the  Government. 
Simultaneously,  and  in  connection  with  all  this,  the  purpose  to  sever 
the  Federal  Union  was  openly  avowed. 


PRESIDENT  LINCOLN1  S  MESS  A  GE.  467 

An  ordinance  was  adopted  in  each  of  these  States  so  declaring, 
.  a  formula  for  instituting  a  combined  government 
promulgated,  and  this  illegal  combination  in  the  character  of  Con- 
federate States  was  already  invoking  recognition,  aid  and  inter- 
vention from  foreign  powers.  Finding  this  condition  of  things,  and 
believing  it  to  be  an  imperative  duty  upon  the  incoming  Executive 
to  prevent,  if  possible,  the  consummation  of  such  an  attempt  to 
destroy  the  Federal  Union,  a  choice  of  means  to  that  end  became 
indispensable.  This  choice  was  made  and  declared  in  the  inau- 
gural .  .  .  exhaust  all  peaceful  measures,  hold  all  of 
the  public  places  and  property  not  already  wrested  from  the 
Government,  and  to  collect  the  revenue,  relying  for  the  rest  on 
time,  discussion  and  the  ballot.  It  promised  a  continuation  of 
the  mails  at  Government  expense,  to  the  very  people  who  were 
resisting  the  Government,  and  repeated  its  pledges  to  maintain 
the  rights  of  the  people.  Of  all  that  which  a  President  might 
constitutionally  and  justifiably  do  in  such  a  case,  everything  was 
forborne  without  which  it  was  believed  possible  to  keep  the  Gov- 
ernment on  foot. 

Major  Anderson's  letter  on  the  5th  of  March  (the 
present  incumbent's  first  full  day  in  office)  was  placed  in  his 
hands.  It  was  laid  before  General  Scott,  who  concurred  in 
Major  Anderson's  opinion,  having  conferred  with  other  officers  of 
the  army  and  navy,  and  at  the  end  of  four  days  came  to  the 
same  conclusion.  No  such  force  available.  In  a  purely  military 
point  of  view  this  reduced  the  duty  of  the  administration  in  the 
case  to  the  mere  matter  of  getting  the  garrison  out  of  the  fort. 

It  was  believed,  however,  that  to  abandon  that  position  under 
the  circumstances  would  be  utterly  ruinous  ;  that  the  necessity 
under  which  it  was  to  be  done  would  not  be  fully  understood  ; 
that  by  many  it  would  be  construed  as  a  part  of  a  voluntary 
policy  ;  that  at  home  it  would  discourage  the  friends  of  the  Union, 
embolden  its  adversaries,  and  go  far  to  ensure  to  the  latter  a 
recognition  abroad.  That,  in  fact,  it  would  be  our  national  des- 
truction consummated.  This  could  not  be  allowed.  Starvation 
was  not  yet  upon  the  garrison,  and  ere  it  would  be  reached  Fort 
Pickens  might  be  reinforced.  This  fact  would  be  a  clear  indica- 
tion of  policy,  and  would  better  enable  the  country  to  accept  the 
evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter  as  a  military  necessity. 

An  order  was  at  once  directed  to  be  sent  for  the  landing  of 


468  THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

the  troops  from  the  steamship  Brooklyn  into  Fort  Pickens.  This 
order  could  not  go  by  land,  but  must  take  the  longer  and  slower 
route  by  sea.  The  first  return  news  from  the  order  was  received 
just  one  week  before  the  fall  of  Sumter.  The  news  itself  was 
that  the  officer  commanding  the  Sabine,  to  which  vessel  the  troops 
had  been  transferred  from  the  Brooklyn,  acting  upon  some  quasi 
armistice  of  the  late  administration  (and  of  the  existence  of  which 
the  present  administration,  up  to  the  time  the  order  was  despatched, 
had  only  too  vague  and  uncertain  rumors  to  give  attention), 
had  refused  to  land  the  troops.  To  now  reinforce  Fort  Pickens 
before  a  crisis  would  be  reached  at  Fort  Sumter  was  impossible, 
rendered  so  by  the  near  exhaustion  of  provisions  in  the  latter- 
named  fort.  In  precaution  against  such  a  conjunction,  the  Gov- 
ernment had  a  few  days  before  commenced  preparing  an  expedi- 
tion, as  well  adapted  as  might  be,  to  relieve  Fort  Sumter,  which 
expedition  was  intended  to  be  ultimately  used  or  not,  according 
to  circumstances.  The  strongest  anticipated  case  for  using  it 
was  now  presented,  and  it  was  resolved  to  send  it  forward. 

As  had  been  intended  in  this  contingency,  it  was  also  resolved 
to  notify  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  that  he  might  expect 
that  an  attempt  would  be  made  to  provision  the  fort,  and  that  if 
not  resisted  no  attempt  to  reinforce  would  be  made,  or  arms  or 
ammunition  sent  without  previous  notice  or  in  case  of  attack. 

The  notice  was  given;  the  fort  was  bombarded  without  await- 
ing the  arrival  of  the  expedition.  It  is  thus  seen  that  the  assault 
upon  and  the  reduction  of  Fort  Sumter  was  in  no  sense  a  matter 
of  self-defense  on  the  part  of  the  assailants.  They  well  knew 
that  the  garrison  in  the  fort  could  by  no  possibility  commit  aggres- 
sion upon  them.  They  knew,  they  were  expressly  notified,  that 
the  giving  of  bread  to  the  few  brave  and  hungry  men  of  the  gar- 
rison was  all  which  upon  that  occasion  would  be  attempted,  unless 
themselves,  by  resisting  so  much,  should  provoke  more.  They 
knew  that  the  Government  desired  to  keep  the  garrison  in  the 
fort,  not  to  assail  them,  but  merely  to  maintain  visible  pos- 
session, and  thus  to  preserve  the  Union  from  actual  and  immedi- 
ate dissolution,  trusting,  as  hereinbefore  stated,  to  time  and 
discussion  and  the  ballot-box,  for  final  adjustment,  and  they 
assailed  and  reduced  the  fort  for  precisely  the  reverse  object, 
to  drive  out  the  visible  authority  of  the  Federal  Union,  and  thus 
force  it  into  immediate  dissolution. 


PRESIDENT  LINCOLN '  S  MESS  A  GE.  469 

That  this  was  their  object,  the  Executive  well  understood, and 
having  said  to  them  in  the  inaugural  address,  "  You  can  have  no 
conflict,"  &c.,  &c.,  he  took  pains  not  only  to  keep  this  declara- 
tion good,  but  also  to  keep  the  case  so  freed  from  ingenious 
sophistry  that  the  world  should  not  be  able  to  misunderstand  it. 
By  the  affair  at  Fort  Sumter,  with  its  surrounding  circumstances, 
that  point  was  reached.  Then  and  thereby  the  assailants  of  the 
Government  began  the  conflict  of  arms,  without  a  gun  in  sight  or 
in  expectancy  to  return  their  fire,  save  only  the  few  in  the  fort, 
sent  to  that  harbor  years  before  for  their  own  protection  in  what- 
ever was  lawful. 

In  this  act,  discarding  all  else,  they  have  forced  upon  the 
country  the  distinct  issue,  "  immediate  dissolution  or  blood,"  and 
this  issue  embraces  more  than  the  fate  of  these  United  States.  It 
presents  to  the  whole  fam:ly  of  man  the  question  whether  a  con- 
stitutional republic  or  democracy,  a  government  of  the  people  by 
the  same  people,  can  or  cannot  maintain  its  territorial  integrity 
against  its  own  domestic  foes.  Must  a  government  of  necessity 
be  too  strong  for  the  liberties  of  its  own  people  or  too  weak  to 
maintain  its  own  existence  ?" 


APPENDIX  IV. 

"  STEAMSHIP  Baltic, 
"Thursday,  April  18,  1861. 

"GENERAL  : 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  you  the  following  report  of 
killed  and  wounded  during  and  after  the  engagement  at  Fort 
Sumter,  South  Carolina,  on  the  izth,  i3th  and  i4th  of  April, 
1861. 

"  WOUNDED  IN  THE  ACTION 

"April  12,  Sergt.  Thomas  Kernan,  Co.  E.,  ist  Art'y.  Severely. 

"  Private  James  Hays,  Co.  E,  ist  Art'y.  Slightly. 

"  Private  Edward  Gallway,  Co.  E,  ist  Art'y.  Slightly. 

"  John  Swearer,  mechanic,  Eng'r  Dep't.  Severely. 

"  KILLED  AND  WOUNDED  AFTER  THE  ACTION  : 

"April  14,   Killed  :  Daniel  Hough,  Private,  Co.  E,  ist  Artillery, 
while  firing  salute. 

"  WOUNDED: 

"April  14,  Edward  Gallway,  Co.  E,  mortally  wounded  ;   died  on 

April  19. 

April  14,  John  Irwin,  Co.  E,  severely  burned  on  thigh  and  leg. 
"      James  Fielding,  Co.  E,  severely  wounded. 
"       John  Pritchard,  Co.  E,  slightly  wounded — face  with  fire. 
"      James  Harp,  Co.  E.  slightly  wounded. 
"  Respectfully, 

"  S.  W.  CRAWFORD, 

"Assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A." 
470 


APPENDIX  V. 

"  New  York,  December,  1862. 
"  HON.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

"  SIR  :  Although  by  the  strict  advice  of  my  medical  advisers 
I  am  prevented  from  undertaking  any  correspondence,  the  sub- 
ject upon  which  I  now  have  the  honor  to  address  you  is  one 
involving  so  much  that  I  am  induced  to  incur  a  risk,  in  order  to 
bring  it  to  your  notice.  I  have  observed  in  published  Orders 
No.  181  that  the  brevet  of  major  for  the  distinguished  part 
taken  by  him  in  the  transfer  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Moultrie  to 
Sumter,  South  Carolina,  has  been  conferred  upon  Captain  John 
G.  Foster,  Engineer  Corps,  to  date  from  December  26,  1860.  It  is 
proper  that  I  should  here  refer  to  the  part  taken  by  the  different 
officers  in  that  move;  the  only  part  Captain  Foster  took  in  the 
removal  was  his  compliance  with  my  request  in  directing  Lieu- 
tenants Snyder  and  Meade  to  report  to  me  with  their  boats'  crews 
to  aid  in  the  move.  To  Lieutenants  Snyder  and  Meade  we  were 
greatly  indebted  for  their  active  and  laborious  exertions  in  making 
the  transfer.  I  regret  more' deeply  that  neither  of  those  officers  can 
receive  the  favorable  notice  of  our  Government;  the  former  is 
dead,  and  the  latter  has  left  our  service.  Assistant  Surgeon 
Crawford  returned  to  Fort  Moultrie  on  the  27th,  and  was  very 
active  in  sending  over  some  ammunition,  which  was  of  material 
and  essential  service  to  us  during  our  fight;  and  articles  which 
Lieutenant  Hall,  to  whom  I  was  greatly  indebted  for  his  activity 
and  energy  in  sending  off  the  greater  part  of  the  stores  which  I  had 
been  unable  to  take  over.  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  if  the 
Department  desires  to  reward  any  officers  for  this  service,  that 
Brevets  should  be  conferred  upon  those  just  named. 

"  In  my  letters  to  the  Adjutant-General,  whilst  at  Fort  Sumter, 
numbered  43,  44,  45,  58,  62,  74,  54,  66,  83,  93,  and  94,  I 
make  a  special  mention  of  the  services  of  Captain  Seymour,  Dr. 
Crawford,  Lieutenants  Snyder  and  Meade  ;  these  officers,  in  addi- 
tion to  their  appropriate  duties,  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to 

471 


472 


THE  GENESIS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


the  maintenance  of  our  position  at  Fort  Sumter,  and  whose  serv- 
ice deserves  a  special  mention  from  me.  If  the  Government 
deems  any  brevets  due,  it  is  to  these  officers. 

"  It  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  my  letters  I  have  mentioned, 
I  have  in  letter  No.  83  given  credit  to  Captain  Doubleday  for  an 
important  suggestion;  I  now  take  advantage  of  this  occasion  to 
renew  the  commendation  thus  made,  and  to  respectfully  recom- 
mend that  as  a  measure  of  justice  to  the  officers  named,  a  brevet, 
to  date  from  April  14,  1861,  should  be  bestowed  either  upon 
those  of  whom  a  special  mention  is  made,  or,  as  an  act  of  justice 
to  all,  each  one  of  the  officers  under  my  command  should  alike 
receive  a  brevet;  and  I  again  implore  the  Department  that  the 
distinction  now  contemplated  for  one  only  of  the  officers  shall 
not  be  bestowed  alone,  it  being  in  my  estimation  neither  deserved 
upon  his  part  nor  just  to  his  brother  officers.  As  this  matter  has 
become  the  subject  of  official  notice,  it  renders  it  more  important 
that  I  should,  as  soon  as  possible,  undertake  an  official  report  of 
the  closing  scenes  of  the  occupancy  of  that  work,  which  I  have 
been  thus  far  prevented  from  complying  with  from  the  strict 
orders  of  my  physician.  As  soon  as  I  can  write,  with  the  assistance 
of  my  friends  I  will  make  the  report. 

"  Very  respectfully, 
(Signed)         "  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

"  Brigadier-General. 

"Letter  No.  54,  thanks  to  Dr.  Crawford,  and  to  Lieutenant 
Snyder,  and  Lieutenant  Meade." 


:rfli 


SKETCH 


HARBOR  orCJJARLESTON', 

30UTH  CAROLINA  . 
Showing  tkeportioTt  of  Potteries 
in  action  against  Fort  Sumter 


A RMAMEA/T  Of  FORT  SUMTER,  APR/L  /2™&  J3 ™  J86J. 
:  Total  number  of  (runs  27  includintfff.  8  and  so  inch- 
Colurrt&iaxZs . 

CASEMATE  r/f/7:  Total  number  orgiiTis  %/  inclucl. 
ing  3, ••42p'ctrk. 

Total  in  both,  tiers  -48  yizns. 

Ontfte parade fa$  ^for-ears';  4.  Sin-, 
"•        and  /,  /O in.  Columbians  fixecl  to 
~^_        throw  shells  into  Charleston   and 


cers.  placed,  tojt&Jte  foot- 


placed,  to  defe?zd  Wharf. 


BATTEFl/ES    QA/SULLIVAA/  "S    /SLAMD 

A  CAWS  r  roxr  SUMTER  APR/L  /2  ™  &J3  i 

.  ^,  SZ-jidrs. 
2.  Da7ite?ren  jBatfery.  /,  9-inJ)a7i7g>ren  tfUTt,. 


4.  Jfortar&atter-y,  2, 

.  OMiytte  Battery.  2,  24/t'drs. 

.  Smnter-tfatfery.  3,  Sin.  4,32-7?tZ?\s 
(7.  Channe  (2/attery  .  4,  Sin.  6,32-7101™.  /-frdf  fired-) 
ery  .    2,  /Oirr.  ^ 


ffATTF/f/eS  OAS  M0/?ff/S  /SLAS/D 
^  S^>i>7^S.  '"  ACT/PA/  AGA/VST  f T.  SUMrifi 

Ojfe¥?/SSS  J-  Cummin frsPtJtatftry  2  24-n'drs. 

fc-~'  3&Wj'  -  3./(J.in.Jwrears./XifZea(/Z-/Mt'' 

^  •jalsRntlrv.  '  ' 

E  -  MginVafilffrfns  2.  Stevens  Battery' Iron-cfaut. 

J.  S-in.  Co/um&ta&s. 

3  Tra/zier Battery.  J,  AVZ  fblwriKa&a, 


tr  CO  XX 


IN  DEX. 


Abolitionists,  stringent  measures 
against,  by  Gov.  Gist,  17. 

Adams,  J.  H.,  at  Secession  Convention, 
46;  appointed  commissioner  to  Wash- 
ington 142. 

Anderson,  Maj.  R.,  appointed  to  com- 
mand at  Moultrie,  59,  60;  recom- 
mends occupation  of  Sumter  and 
Pinckney,  60,  6z,  64;  sketch  of,  61; 
report  of,  on  work  at  Moultrie,  62; 
urges  reinforcement  of  forts,  63;  force 
of,  at  Moultrie,  64;  report  of,  on 
work,  66;  refuses  rolls  of  men  to 
State,  67;  reports  Moultrie  in  danger, 

68,  69;  letter  of,  to  R.  N.  Gourdin, 

69,  to  his  rector,  70;  desires  to  re- 
move  sand-hills,    70,    71;    views  of, 
regarding  Sumter,  71;  authorized  to 
defend  forts,  73;  occupies  Pinckney, 
75)  ?6;  suggests  change  in  construc- 
tion at  Moultrie,  92;    desires  entire 
control   and   to  occupy  Sumter,  93, 
94;     interpretation    by,    of    Buell's 
orders,   100;  determines  to  transfer 
to  Sumter,  101,  plan  carried  out,  40. 
41,   43,    102-112,     report    on,    106; 
receives    messengers  from   Pickens, 
no;  refuses  to  leave,  in;  requests 
protection  for  non-combatants,  asks 
for  private  effects,  117;  sends   mes- 
senger to  Moultrie,  118;  surrounded 
by  difficulties,   126;    reasons  of,    for 
removal  to  Sumter,  127-130;  visited 
by  his  wife,   133;  interview  of,  with 
his   brother,     136;  despatch    of,    to 
Floyd,   reply,    143;    condemned   by 
Cabinet,  146;  tribute  of  Judge  Black 
to,  154,    155;  informed  of  relief  ex- 
pedition,  175;    instructed  to  protect 
relief    ship,    175,    176;    praised    by 
Secretary  of  War,  177;  action  of,  as 
to   Star  of  the   West,  185,  does   not 
fire,  186;  threatens  to  close  harbor. 
187,  letter  thereon  to  Governor,  188; 
sends  messenger  to  Washington,  190, 
191;  will  not  surrender,   192;  reply 
of,  toMagrath,  193,  to  Pickens,  194; 
reply  of,  to  offer  of  supplies,   201, 
returns  them,   202;   reports  of,   on 


supplies,  202,  203;  course  of,  ap- 
proved by  Government,  204,  205; 
sends  women  and  children  North, 
206,  207;  reports  of,  on  works  in 
harbor,  279-281,  291;  estimate  of,  of 
force  for  relief,  283,  355;  Govern- 
ment's erroneous  impression  of  posi- 
tion of,  284,  288,  notwithstanding 
reports  of  Anderson,  289,  290; 
reasons  of,  for  not  asking  rein- 
forcements, 290;  instructions  to,  on 
floating  battery,  292,  293;  despon- 
dent, improvements  in  fort,  295- 
297;  letter  of,  to  Beauregard  on 
removal,  303;  letter  to,  from  Beaure- 
gard on  surrender,  308,  reply,  309; 
protests  against  reinforcement,  371, 
against  Fox's  expedition,  385,  be- 
cause impracticable,  373;  can  hold 
out  till  I5th  April,  372;  misled  by 
Lamon's  statements,  374,  377,  378; 
report  of,  on  Shannon  affair,  ,76- 
380;  complains  of  cutter  and  shell- 
firing,  despatch  on,  381 ;  notice  to, 
of  relief  by  Government,  382 ;  mails 
of,  seized,  383,  384-386;  alarmed  at 
report  of  no  relief,  391;  allowed  to 
receive  mails,  394;  suggestion  of,  as 
to  supply  vessels,  399;  informed  of 
relief  expedition,  407;  called  on  to 
surrender,  refuses,  423 ;  receives 
final  proposition  of  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment, 424,  his  answer,  425 ;  noti- 
fied of  immediate  attack,  420;  with- 
draws men  from  parapet,  43 1 ;  stops 
making  of  cartridges,  432;  agrees  to 
surrender  at  once,  440;  raises  white 
flag,  submits  terms  to  Beauregard, 
441;  letter  of,  to  Pickens  and  Beau- 
regard,  442 ;  Beauregard's  tribute  to, 
447;  reports  surrender  to  Cameron, 
449;  subsequent  career  of,  450. 

Army,  U.  S.,  social  relations  of  officers 
of,  in  Charleston,  7,  64;  loyalty  of, 
to  Union,  8;  force  of,  in  February, 
1861,  167. 

Arsenal,  U.  S.,  at  Charleston,  watched 
by  State  troops,  57;  seized,  119-122; 
value  of  stores  at,  123. 


473 


474 


INDEX. 


Atlantic,  in  Fort  Pickens  expedition, 
412,  415. 

Bachman,  Rev.  Dr.,  invited  to  attend 
signing  of  Ordinance,  54. 

Baldwin,  Col.  J.  B.,  sent  to  President 
by  Virginia  Convention,  report,  311; 
action  of,  in  Convention,  312. 

Baltic,  in  Lincoln's  relief  expedition 
for  Sumter,  417-419;  conveys  garri- 
son North,  448,  449. 

Baltimore,  Md.,  recruiting  in,  for  Con- 
federacy, 309. 

Barnwell,  Robert  W.,  at  Secession 
Convention,  46;  appointed  commis- 
sioner to  Washington,  52  142;  re- 
marks of,  to  President,  148. 

Battery,  floating,  built  at  Charles- 
ton, 210  ;  Anderson's  instructions 
on,  292,  293;  movements  of,  302; 
final  position  of,  399;  in  the  bom- 
bardment, officers  engaged,  429; 
effect  of  shots  on,  430. 

Beauregard,  Gen.  Peter  G.  T.,  sketch 
of,  275;  relieved  from  command  of 
West  Point,  276;  resigns  from  army, 
276,  277;  offered  command  by  Con- 
federacy, 277,  accepts,  condemns 
works  on  Morris  Island,  278;  im- 
provements by,  on  works  in  harbor, 
279;  assumes  command,  staff,  alters 
batteries,  306;  deprived  of  officers, 
307;  letter  of,  to  Anderson  on  sur- 
render, reply,  309;  limits  of  com- 
mand increased,  310  ;  calls  out  vol- 
unteers, 341;  instructed  as  to  his 
course,  392;  ordered  to  send  no 
provisions  to  Sumter,  calls  out  forces, 
397;  ordered  to  demand  evacuation 
of  Sumter,  421;  his  communication 
to  Anderson,  423;  sends  offer  of 
assistance  to  Sumter,  441;  offers 
terms  of  surrender,  442;  tribute  of, 
to  Anderson  and  men,  447. 

Benjamin,  Senator  Judah  P.,  requests 
Pickens's  envoy  to  withhold  letter  to 
President,  218,  219,  221. 

Black,  Judge  J.  S.,  opinion  by,  of  Ma- 
grath's  action,  16;  course  of,  in 
1860,  24;  urges  reinforcement  of 
Charleston  forts,  26;  succeeds  Cass 
in  State  Department,  43,  44;  objects 
to  President's  reply  to  Commissioners, 
149,  151;  interview  of,  with  Presi- 
dent, says  reply  must  be  recast  or 
he  resigns,  152;  remodels  President's 
reply,  'SS-ISS;  urges  help  for  Ander- 
son, 155;  thinks  Sumter  should  have 
been  relieved,  168;  tries  to  prevent 
Thompson's  warning  despatch,  179; 


refuses  to  ask  Floyd's  resignation, 
215;  letter  of,  to  Scott  on  reinforcing 
Sumter,  236,  237;  wains  President 
of  danger  and  false  statements.  240, 
241-243. 

Blair,  Francis  P.,  interviews  Lincoln 
on  withdrawal  of  Anderson,  364. 

Blair,  Montgomery,  thinks  President 
bound  to  retain  Sumter,  347;  views 
of,  on  relief  of  Sumter,  357-360; 
accuses  Buchanan  of  complicity  with 
rebellion,  359;  account  by,  of  Lin- 
coln's order  to  reinforce  Sumter, 

365. 

Bonham,  Gen.  M.  L.,  notifies  Gist  of 
Trescot's  mission,  35;  confers  with 
Buchanan  on  reinforcements,  38,  39; 
advises  Pickens  to  withdraw  demand 
for  Sumter,  84;  opinion  of,  on  Fox's 
relief  plan,  372. 

Boyce,  W.  W.,  advocates  secession  of 
South  Carolina,  10,  1 1 ;  confers  with 
Buchanan  on  reinforcements,  38.  39. 

Breckinridge,  John  C.,  asks  Floyd  to 
resign,  215. 

Brooklyn,  ready  to  relieve  Sumter,  169, 
170;  force  ordered  aboard  of,  171; 
Star  of  the  West  substituted  for,  175; 
ordered  to  escort  Star  of  the  West, 
176;  at  Fort  Pickens,  orders,  401, 
402. 

Brown,  Gov.  J.  E.,  reply  of,  to  Pick- 
ens  as  to  Sumter,  266. 

Bryan,  Judge  G.  S.,  visits  Moultrie, 
95 ;  thinks  fort  will  be  taken,  96. 

Buchanan,  President,  troubled  by  ac- 
tion of  Magrath^  16;  Cabinet  of,  21 ; 
thinks  Republican  victory  illusory, 
discredits  secession,  22;  decides  to 
reinforce  Charleston  forts,  28;  knowl- 
edge of,  of  State  matters,  anxious  for 
revenue  and  safety  of  forts,  33; 
determines  his  course,  his  message, 
36;  anxious  for  Anderson's  safety, 
38;  vacillation  of,  as  to  reinforcing 
forts,  39,  40,  42;  refuses  reinforce- 
ments, 43;  declines  to  return  Cass's 
resignation,  44;  message  of,  before 
Secession  Convention,  50,  51;  dis- 
satisfied with  instructions  to  Ander- 
son, 75;  letter  of  Pickens  to,  de- 
manding Sumter,  8l,  gratified  by 
its  withdrawal,  84,  86;  measures 
taken  by,  to  avoid  collisions,  85; 
letter  of,  to  Pickens,  87;  accepts 
suggestions  of  Convention  Commis- 
sioners, 142;  action  of,  at  news  of 
Anderson's  movement,  144;  his  re- 
gret at  situation,  145 ;  kept  ignorant 
of  original  orders  to  Anderson,  146, 


INDEX. 


475 


157;  vacillation  of,  148,  152;  sub- 
mits reply  to  Commissioners  to 
Cabinet,  149;  accepts  Floyd's  resig- 
nation, appointsHolt,  149-151;  inter- 
view of,  with  Black,  152;  allows 
Black  to  remodel  reply,  the  changes, 
153-155,  the  reply,  156-158;  will 
not  surrender  forts,  156;  will  not 
order  Anderson  to  leave  Sumter,  149, 
157,  159;  the  alternative  before  him, 
160,  decides  for  Union,  161 ;  rela- 
tions of,  wiih  Scott,  163;  his  criti- 
cisms on  Scott's  "Views,"  167,  168; 
declines  (Dec.  15)  to  reinforce  forts, 
his  policy,  169;  decides  (Dec.  30)  to 
send  the  Brooklyn,  170,  orders  with- 
held, 171;  declines  to  receive  reply 
of  Commissioners,  174;  determined 
to  reinforce  Sumter,  174,  182;  coun- 
termands order  for  sailing  of  relief, 
too  late,  176;  accepts  Thompson's 
resignation,  181;  relations  of,  with 
Floyd,  213-216;  reply  of,  to  Southern 
Senators,  220,  221;  receives  letter  of 
Pickens's  envoy,  228,  reply,  229-231, 
declines  to  receive  second  letter,  233 ; 
embarrassed  by  Anderson's  truce, 
235,  respects  it,  2^6,  250;  contem- 
plates new  expedition,  236;  declines 
proposition  of  Peace  Convention, 
243,  sends  resolutions  to  Congress, 
244;  his  view  of  situation,  and  his 
own  duties,  in  December,  252,  253; 
special  message  of  8th  January,  1861, 
254;  powers  of,  255;  countermands 
order  for  parade  on  22d  February, 
273,  yields  it,  excuse  to  Tyler,  274; 
assumes  responsibility  of  relieving 
Beauregard,  276,  277;  letter  to  Sli- 
dell,  277;  action  of,  on  Anderson's 
estimate  of  relief,  284;  results  of 
failure  of,  to  reinforce  forts,  285; 
leanings  of,  to  South,  286;  sides 
with  North  too  late,  287;  comments 
on,  by  M.  J.  Crawford,  316;  accused 
of  complicity  with  rebellion.  359. 
Buell,  Major  Don  C.,  mission  of,  to 
Anderson,  71,  72;  memorandum  of 
instructions,  73;  views  of,  on  anairs 
at  Charleston,  74;  comment  of,  on 
Anderson's  movement,  146. 

Cabinet  (Buchanan's1,  opinions  of,  re- 
garding secession,  21-25,  regard- 
ing reinforcement  of  Charleston 
forts,  25-32;  reception  by,  of  Buch- 
anan's message,  36;  Cobb  resigns, 
Thomas  and  Dix  succeed,  37;  Cass 
resigns,  Black  succeeds,  43,  44; 
strictures  of,  on  Anderson,  146;  on 


Buchanan's  reply  to  Commissioners, 
149;  Floyd  resigns,  149,  Holt  suc- 
ceeds, 150;  nigh  to  dissolution,  151, 
160;  Thompson  resigns,  181;  council 
of,  proposes  plan  to  relieve  Sumter, 
248.  (Lincoln's:) composition  of,  317, 
319,  320;  pledged  to  evacuation  of 
Sumter,  338;  discuss  relief  of  Sumter, 
347,  opinions  on,  348-361,  364,  365; 
convinced  that  attempt  to  relieve 
fort  will  precipitate  war,  402. 
Cameron,  Simon,  views  of,  on  relief  of 
Sumter,  353-357;  changes  opinion 
as  to  relief,  367 ;  notifies  Pickens  of 
determination  to  provision  Sumter, 

394,  396- 

Campbell,  Judge  John  A.,  determines 
to  bring  about  peace,  325;  opinion 
of,  on  coercion  and  coasting  trade, 
326;  seeks  opinion  of  Judge  Black, 
advises  Seward  to  recognize  Com- 
missioners, 327;  authorized  to  prom- 
ise evacuation  of  Sumter,  328,  329; 
interview  of,  with  Commissioners, 
329;  promise  of  evacuation,  in  writ- 
ing, 330,  331,  interviews  Sewaid  on 
its  non-fulfilment,  337;  asks  reas- 
surance from  Seward,  receives  it, 
340;  holds  Federal  Government  re- 
sponsible for  the  firing  on  Sum- 
ter, 344;  subsequent  actions  of,  344, 

345- 

Canning,  George,  anecdote  of,  152. 

Capers,  Maj.  Ellison,  on  mission  to 
Anderson,  109;  explains  use  of 
guard-boats,  ill. 

Carroll,  Chancellor  (S.  C.),  at  Seces- 
sion Convention,  47. 

Cass,  Gen.  Lewis,  opposes  State-rights 
and  secession,  23;  in  favor  of  rein- 
forcing Charleston  forts,  26;  resigns 
office,  43;  request  of,  to  withdraw 
resignation  refused,  44. 

Charleston,  S.  C.,  Federal  property  in, 
I,  2;  fortifications  commenced  in 
harbor  of,  7;  relations  of  people  of, 
with  garrison,  7;  grand  jury  in, 
refuse  to  act,  12;  U.  S.  District 
Court  in,  closed,  resignation  of 
Judge  Magrath,  his  address,  13; 
committee  from,  to  urge  Legislature 
to  act,  1 6;  proposed  reinforcement 
of  forts  at,  creates  anxiety,  25-35, 
38-43;  Secession  Convention  ad- 
journs to,  48;  enthusiasm  of  people 
of,  50,  52,  53,  55 ;  pilots  of,  will  pilot 
no  Federal  vessels,  52;  people  of, 
forbid  ammunition  to  Moultrie,  57- 
59,  and  threaten  the  forts,  64-67, 
68,  determined  to  possess  them,  71; 


INDEX. 


a  journal  of,  on  Buell's  mission,  75; 
excitement  in,  on  shipment  of  arms  to 
forts,  77,  78;  plan  of  military  of,  to 
capture  Sumter,  89,  90;  merchants  of, 
reluse  to  sell  lumber  for  forts,  96; 
excitement  in,  on  occupancy  of 
Sumter,  108,  136;  harbor  lights 
in,  extinguished,  133,  134;  Board 
of  Pilots  of,  advise  obstructing 
channels,  137;  weighted  hulks  sunk 
in  harbor  of,  200;  floating  battery 
for,  built,  210;  salutes  in  harbor  of, 
22d  Feb.,  273;  improvements  in  forts 
of,  by  Beauregard,  279-281;  ad- 
ditional defenses  in  harbor  of,  301, 
302;  batteries  nearly  ready,  310, 
ordnance  for,  distributed,  312;  force 
in  harbor  of  (April,  1861),  397. 

Chase,  Salmon  P.,  opposition  to,  as 
member  of  Cabinet,  320;  views  of, 
on  relief  of  Sumter,  360,  361,  his 
letters  of  correction  on,  366,  367; 
inclined  to  peace,  392. 

Chesnut,  Senator  James,  Jr.,  at  Seces- 
sion Convention,  46  ;  bears  to 
Anderson  demand  for  surrender, 
422,  423;  reply  of,  as  to  immediate 
attack,  conveys  final  proposition  of 
his  Government,  424;  notifies  Ander- 
son of  attack,  426. 

Chisholm,  Lieut.-Col.  A.  R., bears  letter 
to  Anderson  on  surrender,  308;  con- 
veys demand  for  surrender,  423. 

Clay,  Senator  C.  C.,  Jr.,  requests  Pick- 
ens's  envoy  to  withhold  letter  to  Pre- 
sident, 218,  219,  221. 

Clayton,  Judge  Alex.  H.,  decision  by, 
as  to  powers  of  provisional  Congress, 
262. 

Cobb,  Howell,  advocates  secession. 
22;  wishes  to  withdraw  as  candi- 
date to  Senate,  23;  resigns  from 
Cabinet,  tribute  to  Buchanan,  37. 

Commercial  Advertiser  (N.  Y.),  quoted, 
309. 

Commissioners  from  S.  C.  Convention 
depart  tor  Washington,  101 ;  compo- 
sition of,  arrival,  plan,  142;  inter- 
view of,  with  President,  146,  148; 
powers  of,  147;  letter  of,  to  Presi- 
dent, 147,  148;  reply  t'o.  of  President, 
156-158,  changed  by  Judge  Black, 
I53~I55;  reply  of,  to  President,  159, 
171-174;  leave  Washington,  159, 
174;  correspondence  of.  sent  to  Con- 
gress, 255 ;  telegraph  reassurance  of 
no  reinforcement,  395. 

Commissioners  from  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment appointed,  314:  instructions 
to>  3i4-3l6>  secret  instructions  to, 


333,  336;  memorandum  of,  on  terms 
for  delay,  323,  324;  not  recognized 
by  Seward,  324,  325;  ask  an  official 
interview,  action  approved,  325; 
exaggerated  conclusions  by,  332; 
further  instructions  to,  334;  advise 
active  defense,  think  peace  policy 
gaining,  335 ;  course  of,  approved  by 
their  Government,  336;  concessions 
to,  report  strong  war  movements, 
339,  340;  demand  audience,  340; 
still  believe  Sumter  will  be  given  up, 
341 ;  angry  rejoinder  of,  to  Seward, 
342,  his  memorandum  in  reply,  their 
return,  343.  See  under  Crawford 
{Martin},  Forsyth,  Roman. 

Congress,  Federal  (1860-61),  appro- 
priations of,  for  Charleston  lorts, 
65 ;  takes  no  action  on  resolutions  of 
Peace  Convention  244;  inaction  of, 
254;  militia  bills  introduced  into, 
255;  will  not  define  President's 
power.-,,  255,  256;  action  of,  on '  Crit- 
tenden  Amendment,  "  256;  adjourns, 
nothing  accomplished,  257,  282. 
ongress,  Provisional — see  Govern- 
ment, Conf  derate. 
onvention.  Peace  (of  Va.),  instituted, 
243;  meets,  256;  appoints  commis- 
sioners, 243,  their  interview  with 
Buchanan,  243,  244;  sends  an  am- 
endment to  Congress,  rejected,  257; 
Unionists  and  Secessionists  at,  310; 
sends  representative  to  Lincoln,  311; 
sends  committee  to  Lincoln,  312. 
onvention  for  Secession  (S.  C.),  bill 
for,  passed  by  Legislature.  16;  prob- 
able effect  ot  delay  of,  18;  Journal 
of,  quoted,  38;  report  to,  on  rein- 
forcements, 40;  assembling  of,  45; 
some  members  of,  46,47 ;  resolution  of, 
to  secede,  passed,  adjourns  to  Charles- 
ton, 48;  resolution  of,  as  to  Federal 
property,  50;  session  of,  not  public, 
51 ;  sends  commissioners  to  President 
and  Congress,  other  resolutions 
of,  52;  adopts  Ordinance  of  Seces- 
sion, 53,  54;  adjourns,  55;  commis- 
sioners of,  leave  for  Washington, 
101,  arrival,  proposed  plan,  142; 
report  of  committee  on  Federal  pro- 
perty, 388;  action  of,  on  resolutions, 
389,  390;  proceedings  of,  published, 
adjourns,  390;  transfers  Federal 
property  to  Confederacy,  390,  394. 

Convention  (S.  C.)   of   1852,  declara- 
tion by,  47. 

ooper,  Col.  Samuel,  resigns  from  U. 
S.  army,  joins  Confederate  army, 
310. 


INDEX. 


477 


Co-operation  of  Southern  States,  opin- 
ion of  Judge  Magrath  on,  14;  un- 
wise before  individual  State  action, 
18. 

Courtenay,  Sergt.  W.  A.,  resolution 
of,  offering  services  of  regiment,  19. 

Cowling,  W.  W.,  refuses  to  send 
Thompson's  warning  despatch,  179; 
resigns,  180. 

Craig,  Col.,  proposes  to  arm  workmen 
at  Moultrie,  50. 

Crawford,  Martin  J.,  Confederate 
commissioner  to  Washington,  314; 
instructions  of,  314-316;  thinks  it 
unwise  to  negotiate  with  Buchanan, 
316;  advice  of,  to  Lincoln,  317; 
supports  Seward's  policy,  320;  course 
of,  as  to  provisioning  Sumter,  321; 
interview  of,  with  Judge  Campbell, 
329;  consents  to  delay,  330;  return 
of,  343;  says  Lincoln  will  shift  re- 
sponsibility on  Anderson,  377,  391; 
thinks  President  lacks  courage  to 
evacuate  Sumter,  391. 

Crawford,  Surg.  S.  W.,  trip  of,  to 
secure  Sumter  mail,  191;  estimate 
by,  of  force  for  relief,  284;  opinion  of, 
on  holding  out,  425;  in  bombard- 
ment, 430,  432,  442;  subsequent 
career  of,  452. 

Cummings  Point,  Charleston,  occupied, 
134;  works  at,  272,  condemned  by 
engineers,  278;  a  gun  from  Eng- 
land, 291;  additional  defenses  at, 
301;  armament  at,  303;  changes  at, 
by  Beauregard,  306;  Blakely  gun  at, 
397;  batteries  on,  bombarding,  of- 
ficers engaged,  427. 

Cunningham,  Col.  John,  seizes  arsenal, 
122;  at  head  of  force  against  relief 
vessels,  139. 

Cushing,  Caleb,  mission  of,  from  Buch- 
anan to  Pickens,  87;  unsuccessful, 
returns,  88. 

Davis,  Jefferson  C.,  thinks  demand  for 
Sumter  unwise, 84;  announces  Ander- 
son's movement  to  President,  143; 
requests  Pickens's  envoy  to  withhold 
letter  to  President,  218,  219,  221; 
action  of,  in  Senate,  255.  263;  advice 
of,  as  to  Sumter,  263-266;  President 
of  Confederate  Government,  271;  in- 
structions of,  to  Commissioners  to 
Washington,  314-316. 

Davis,  First  Lieut.  Jefferson  C.,  in  com- 
mand of  Pinckney,  76;  in  removal  to 
Sumter,  104,  107;  estimate  by,  of 
force  for  relief,  284 ;  in  bombardment, 
430,  440;  subsequent  career  of,  455. 


Dayton,  T.  F.,  on  S.  C.  Ordnance 
Board,  208. 

De  Groot  claim,  history  of,  214. 

Democratic  party  in  danger  of  disrup- 
tion, 20,  21 ;  defeat  of,  deemed  cer- 
tain, 22;  Gov.  Brown's  views  of  pro- 
bable course  of,  266. 

Dix,  Gen.  John  A.,  Secretary  of  Trea- 
sury under  Buchanan,  37. 

Doubleday,  Capt.  Abner,  in  removal  to 
Sumter,  104-107;  estimate  by,  of 
force  for  relief,  285;  in  bombardment, 
429,  447;  subsequent  career  of,  454. 

Dunkin,  Benjamin,  at  Secession  Con- 
vention, 47. 

Dunovant,  Gen.,  arrests  Capts.  Foster 
and  Seymour,  119,  136. 

Elmore,  J.  A.,  commissioner  to  Seces- 
sion Convention,  5 1 . 

England,  gun  from,  at  Charleston,  291. 

Expeditions,  for  relief  of  Sumter:  Star 
of  the  West,  123,  133,  139,  175-186, 
190,  201,  205,  224,  307;  Harriet 
Lane,  134,  137,  138,  307;  Judge 
Black's  views,  155,  238,  239;  Gen. 
Scott's  plan,  170;  Brooklyn,  170, 
171,  175,  240,  242;  Com.  Wardts 
plan,  248,  250,  347,  354,  356;  Capt. 
Fox's  plan,  248,  249,  251,  347,  354, 
356,  360,  363,371;  Crusader,  Mo- 
hawk, Empire  City,  307;  Lincoln's. 
404-406,  416-420  For  relief  of  Fort 
Pickens,  401;  Meigs's,  407-416. 

Farley,  Lieut.  H.  S.,  joins  State  ser- 
vice, 137. 

Ferguson,  Capt.  S.  W.,  on  Beaure- 
gard's  staff,  306;  bears  letter  to 
Anderson  on  surrender,  309. 

Fitzpatrick.  Senator  Benjamin,  requests 
Pickens's  envoy  to  withhold  letter  to 
President,  218,  219,  221. 

Florida  passes  Ordinance  of  Secession, 

257. 

Floyd,  John  B.,  thinks  secession  un- 
wise, favors  State-rights,  23 ;  opposed 
to  reinforcing  Charleston  forts,  26- 
29;  action  of,  in  Moultrie  supply 
affair,  59;  refuses  occupancy  of 
Pinckney,  62,  grants  permission.  63; 
willing  to  employ  civilians  at  Moul- 
trie, 64;  instructs  Anderson  through 
Buell,  72;  sanctions  Buell's  mem- 
orandum, 74;  indifferent  to  Pickens's 
use  of  guard-boats,  97,  99;  reply 
of,  to  Pickens  on  reinforcements, 
141;  says  order  was  to  dismantle 
Sumter,  not  Moultrie,  143;  telegrams 
of,  to  Anderson,  144,  145;  con- 


478 


INDEX. 


demns  Anderson's  action,  146; 
advocates  concessions,  recommends 
withdrawal  of  troops  from  Charles- 
ton, resigns,  149;  resignation 
accepted,  successor  appointed  149- 
151,  216;  sketch  of,  213-217;  con- 
duct of,  in  De  Groot  claim  and 
Indian  Trust  bonds,  214,  215;  orders 
armament  sent  South,  216. 

Foote,  Capt.  A.  H.,  directed  to  aid 
Fort  Pickens  expedition,  411;  as- 
tonished at  Lincoln's  course,  his 
action,  412;  conflicting  orders  to, 
413. 

Forsyth,  John,  Confederate  Commis- 
sioner to  Washington,  314;  instruc- 
tions to,  314-316;  agrees  with  Sew- 
ard's  policy,  322. 

Foster,  Capt.  J.  G.,  commences  works 
in  Charleston  harbor,  7;  requests 
arms  for  forts,  76,  receives  them 
from  arsenal,  causing  excitement,  77, 
ordered  to  return  them,  78;  work  of, 
at  Moultrie,  93,  94;  report  of,  on 
guard-boats  and  construction,  97-99; 
destroys  material  at  Moultrie,  107; 
arrested  and  released,  119,  136;  re- 
ports of,  on  batteries  in  harbor,  280. 
303;  estimate  by,  of  force  for  relief, 
283;  sketch  of  Sumter  by,  300;  career 
of,  after  Sumter,  452. 

Fox,  Capt.  Gustavus  V.,  plan  of,  to 
relieve  Sumter,  248-25 1 ;  plan  sub- 
mitted to  Lincoln,  357;  Sec.  Came- 
ron's opinion  of  plan  of,  356,  Sec. 
Blair's  opinion,  300;  plan  criticised 
by  Totten  and  Scott,  361-363;  sent 
to  Anderson  by  Lincoln,  369;  inter- 
views Anderson,  371,  372;  plan  of, 
feared  by  Confederates,  372;  accused 
of  treachery,  384,  his  explanation, 
386;  in  charge  of  Lincoln's  relief 
expedition,  404,  orders  to,  404,  406; 
ignorant  of  change  of  orders,  418; 
praised  by  Lincoln,  420. 

France,  minister  of,  on  her  probable 
action,  336. 

Gardiner,  Col.  J.  L.,  in  command  of 
Moultrie,  5,  views  of,  on  arming 
workmen  at,  56;  attempts  renewal 
of  supplies,  57,  58;  Maj.  Porter's 
strictures  on,  60;  removed  from 
command,  59,  60. 

Gibbes,  Lieut.  W.  H.,  joins  State  ser- 
vice, 137. 

Gist,  Gov.,  advocates  secession,  9,  10, 
14,  17,  18;  recommends  organizing 
State  military,  10;  recommends  strin- 
gent action  as  to  slaves  and  aboli- 


tionists, 17;  urges  immediate  action, 
18;  accepts  offer  of  Washington  Light 
Infantry,  19;  letters  to  Trescot  on 
reinforcement  efforts,  31,  32;  answer 
of,  to  Buchanan's  message,  35;  letter 
of,  to  Gen.  Simons  on  violated 
Federal  pledge,  40,  to  Legislature,  41 ; 
at  Secession  Convention,  46;  places 
guaid  at  arsenal,  120. 

Glover,  Judge,  at  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 47. 

Government,  Confederate,  assembles, 
259;  forms  government,  acts  passed, 
260,  271;  provides  for  defense,  260, 
261 ;  South  Carolina's  views  of, 
opposed,  its  powers.  262;  assumes 
charge  of  Sumter  affair,  268,  of  all 
military  operations,  270;  Senator 
Davis  President  of,  271;  commis- 
sioners from,  in  Washington,  282; 
military  force  of,  305 ;  recruiting  for, 
in  Baltimore,  309;  prohibits  com- 
munication with  Sumter,  313;  ap- 
points commissioners  to  Washington, 
314,  instructions,  314-316,  333,  334; 
conditions  of,  for  a  truce,  foreign 
relations  of,  336;  Seward's  remarks 
on  action  of,  349;  distrusts  promise 
to  evacuate  Sumter,  392;  orders  evac- 
uation of  Sumter,  421,  reasons  for, 
422;  final  proposition  of,  to  Ander- 
son, 424 

Government,  Federal,  property  of,  in 
Charleston,  I,  2;  plans  Sumter  with- 
out consent  of  State,  4;  repairs  Moul- 
trie, builds  Sumter,  6,  7;  judicial 
officers  of,  at  Charleston  resign.  12- 
14,  15 ;  alive  to  movements  in  South 
Carolina,  20;  plans  of,  for  placating 
people  of  Charleston,  29,  30;  violates 
pledge  to  not  reinforce  forts,  41 ; 
action  of  Secession  Convention  on 
property  of,  50;  declines  to  further 
reinforce  forts,  68,  70,  or  to  remove 
sand-hills  at  Moultrie,  70;  allows 
laborers  for  Pinckney,  75 ;  urged  by 
Anderson  to  occupy  Sumter,  93; 
ignores  orders  given  to  Anderson, 
loo;  mail  service  of,  undisturbed, 
116,  118;  arsenal  of,  at  Charleston 
seized,  119-122, engineer  office  seized, 
136;  effect  on,  of  Anderson's  move- 
ment, 140;  attempt  of,  to  reinforce 
Sumter,  174-184,  will  make  no  fur- 
ther attempt,  205 ;  money  of,  in  New 
Orleans  mint  seized,  257,  Southern 
forts  of,  seized,  269;  erroneous  im- 
pression of,  as  to  Anderson's  posi- 
tion, 284,  288;  concessions  of,  to 
Confederate  Commissioners,  339;  will 


INDEX. 


479 


not  recognize  Confederacy,  343; 
Seward's  opinion  of  duty  of,  350. 

Guard-boats  employed  by  Pickens,  88, 
97,  98;  in  removal  to  Sumter,  104- 
107;  fired  on,  292. 

Gwynn,  Senator  William  M.,  as  inter- 
mediary between  North  and  South, 
319;  telegram  of,  to  Confederacy, 
altered,  320. 

Gwynn,  Col.  W.,  inspects  Sumter,  90; 
on  Ordnance  Board,  208;  plan  of, 
for  reducing  Sumter,  209. 

Hall,  Lieut.  Norman  J. ,  in  removal  to 
Sumter,  91,  103,  106;  mission  of,  to 
Moultrie,  118,  119;  bears  warning 
to  Pickens  of  closing  harbor,  189; 
accompanies  envoy  to  Washington, 
195;  plan  of,  for  relief,  rejected,  249; 
estimate  by,  of  force  for  relief,  284; 
in  the  bombardment,  438;  subsequent 
career  of,  457. 

Hamilton,  Maj.  D.  H.,  mission  of, 
from  Pickens  to  Buchanan,  81;  inter- 
view of,  with  President.  83. 

Hamilton,  Capt.  (S.  C.  N. ),  co-oper- 
ates in  intercepting  relief,  139. 

Hamilton,  Lieut.  I.  R.,  joins  State 
service,  137. 

Hamilton,  Lieut.  J.,  joins  State  serv- 
ice, 137. 

Hammond,  Senator  James  H.,  resigns, 

17- 

Harrington,  George,  quoted,  368. 

Hart,  Sergt.  Peter,  in  the  bombard- 
ment, 432,  438. 

Hartstene,  Capt.  Henry  J.,  accom- 
panies envoy  to  Sumter,  369,  370; 
believes  relief  of  fort  practicable,  372. 

Hayne,  I.  W.,  at  Secession  Convention, 
47;  envoy  to  Washington,  195, 
instructions  to,  195,  196;  at  Wash- 
ington, requested  to  withhold  letter 
to  President,  218,  219;  replies  of,  to 
Southern  Senators,  220,  222;  further 
instructions  to,  222-225 ;  sends  letter 
to  President,  226,  substance  of  letter, 
227,  228;  reply  of,  to  President,  231 
-233,  refused  by  President,  233; 
leaves  Washington,  233. 

Holt,  Joseph,  denounces  neutrality  of 
Kentucky,  25;  deprecates  conces- 
sions to  Commissioners,  149;  becomes 
Secretary  of  War,  150;  approves  of 
Anderson's  course,  25,  177,  205; 
replies,  for  Buchanan,  to  Southern 
Senators,  220.  22 1 ;  reply  of,  to  Pick- 
ens's  envoy,  229-231;  relieves  Beau- 
regard  of  command,  276,  277;  sends 
Anderson's  estimate  to  Lincoln,  284, 


288;  instructs  Anderson  as  to  floating 
battery,  293. 

Huger,  Col.  Benjamin,  in  charge  of 
Charleston  arsenal,  59;  joins  in 
request  to  issue  arms,  76;  pledged 
to  not  remove  arms,  77;  arsenal 
seized  in  his  absence,  120. 

Humphill,  Senator  John,  requests  Pick- 
ens's  envoy  to  withhold  letter  to  Pres- 
ident, 218,  219,  221. 

Humphreys,  Capt.  F.  C.,  accepts  guard 
at  arsenal,  report,  120;  protests 
against  occupancy  of  arsenal,  121; 
surrenders  under  protest,  122. 

Hunter,  Senator  R.  M.  T.,  with  Sena- 
tor  Davis  at  President's,  144,  tries 
to  persuade  President  to  withdraw 
Anderson,  159;  conversations  of,  with 
Seward,  322-324. 

Hunter,  Capt.  (U.  S.  N.),  ordered  to 
leave  South  Carolina,  134. 

Indian    Trust  bonds,   abstraction    of, 

history,  214,  215. 
Information,  sources  of,  used  for  this 

volume,  459-463. 
Inglis,  Chancellor  J.  A.,  at  Secession 

Convention,  47;  offers  resolution  of 

secession,    48;    reads    Ordinance  of 

Secession,  53. 
Iverson,  Senator  A.,  requests  Pickens's 

envoy  to  withhold  letter  to  President, 

2l8,  219,  221. 

Jamison,  Gen.  D.  F.,  president  of 
Secession  Convention,  speech,  45; 
conveys  demand  for  Sumter,  192, 
remarks  of,  to  Anderson,  193,  194; 
remarks  on  supplies  to  fort,  202;  on 
S.  C.  Ordnance  Board,  208. 

Johnson,  Jr.,  Capt.  J.,  ordered  to  patrol 
Charleston  Harbor,  89;  seizes  Fort 
Johnson,  123. 

Johnson,  Fort  (Charleston),  ceded  to 
U.  S.  Government,  2;  used  as  cover 
in  removal  from  Moultrie,  102,  103, 
1 06;  seized  by  State,  123;  battery 
erected  on,  136,  209;  armament  at, 
270,  279,  281;  first  gun  fired  from, 
on  Sumter,  427. 

Jones,  Gen.  J.,  on  S.  C.  Ordnance 
Board,  208. 

Keitt,  Lawrence  M.,  confers  with 
Buchanan  on  reinforcements,  38,  39; 
statement  of,  to  S.  C.  Convention,  40. 

Keyes,  Col.  E.  W.,  part  taken  by,  at 
Fort  Pickens,  410,  412. 

Lamon,  Ward  H.,  promises  to  remove 


480 


INDEX. 


garrison  from  Sumter,  336,  374;  au- 
thority of,  repudiated,  337;  visit  of, 
to  Sumter,  373;  does  not  return, 
reasons,  338. 

Lane,  Harriet,  reported  sailing  of,  with 
relief,  134,  137;  destination  of,  not 
Charleston,  138;  ordered  to  relief  of 
Sumter,  404,  4°6;  at  Charleston, 
416-420. 

Laval,  William,  illegal  grant  to,  of 
Sumter  shoal,  4. 

Lee,  Capt.  Stephen  D.,  conveys  demand 
for  Sumter,  422;  notifies  Anderson 
of  immediate  attack,  426;  conveys 
Anderson's  proposition  to  surrender, 
441. 

Legare,  J.  (engineer),  enters  State  serv- 
ice, 136. 

Letters  and  despatches.  -  Anderson, 
Maj.  R.,  to  Adj. -Gen.,  Nov.  28, 1860, 
64,  67;  Dec.  2,  66;  Dec.  16,  106; 
Dec.  22,  93;  Dec.  28, 68;  Jan.  6,  1861, 
126;  Mar.  9,  281;  Apr.  5,  391;  Apr. 
6,  381;  Apr.  8,  384,  386;  to  Beaure 
gard,  Mar.  28,  1861,  303;  Apr.  II, 
423;  Apr.  12,  425;  to  Cameron, 
Apr.  18,  1861,  449;  to  Floyd,  Dec. 
27,  1860,  145;  to  R,  N.  Gourdin, 
Dec.  II,  1860,  69;  Dec.  27  and  29, 
128;  to  Pickens,  Jan.  9,  1861,  188, 
190;  Jan.  II,  194;  to  his  rector,  Dec. 

19,  1860,  70;  to ,  Dec.  14,  1860, 

loo.     Beaur-ggard,  Gen.  P.,  to  An- 
derson, Mar.  26,  1 86 1,  308;  to  S.  W. 
Crawford,   July    16,    1872,    279;    to 
Walker,  Mar.  8,  1861,  306.     Black, 
Judge  J.,    to  Buchanan,  Jan.  22, 
1861,241;   to  Scott,  Jan.    16,    1861, 
2.37.    Blair,  Montgomery,  to  Adams, 
Apr.  10,  1861,  365;  to  Lincoln,  Mar. 

15,  1861,  358,.     Buchanan,  Pres.,  to 
Floyd,  Dec.  30,  1860,  151;  to  Griffin, 
Tune  14,  1862,  164;   to  Hayne,   Feb. 
6,  1861,  228;  to  Pickens,    Dec.    18, 

1860,  87;  to  Southern  Senators,  Jan. 
22,   1861,  220;  to  Slidell,  Jan.  29, 

1861,  277;    to   Thompson,   Jan.  9, 
1861,  181;   to  Tyler,  Feb.  22,   1861, 
274.    Cameron,  Simon,  to  Anderson, 
Apr.  4,  1861,382;  Apr.  20,  450;   to 
Lincoln,  Mar.  15,  1861,  354;  to  Vcd- 
ges,  Jan.  21,  1861,  401.     Campbell, 
J.  A.,  to  Historical   Society,    Dec. 

20,  1873,  326;   to  Seward,  Apr.   20, 
1 86 1,  344.    Chase,  Salmon,  to  Black, 
July  4,  1870,  367;   to  Lincoln,  Mar. 

16,  1861,   360;     to   Taft,    Apr.   28, 
1 86 1,   366.     Craig,   Col.,  to  Floyd, 
56.     Crawford,  M.  J.,   to  Pickens, 
Apr.  I,  391;  to  Toombs,  Mar.  1861, 


316.  Davis,  Jefferson,  to  Pickens, 
Jan.  13,  1861,  263;  Jan.  20,  265. 
Floyd,  J.  B.,  to  Anderson,  Dec.  21, 
1860,  75;  Dec.  27,  145;  to  Buchanan, 
Dec,  29,  1860,  150.  Foster,  Capt. 
J.  G.,  to  De  Russy,  Dec.  22,  1860, 
97;  to  Totten.  Apr.  8,  1861,  385; 
Mar.  6,  280;  Mar.  31,  303.  Gard- 
iner, Col.  J-.  L.,  to  Craig,  Nov.  5, 

1860,  56.     Gist,  Gov.,   to  Trescot, 
Nov.  29,    1860,  31,    32.     Haynf.   I. 
W.,   to  Buchanan,   Jan.   31,    1861, 
226;   Feb.  7,  231.     Holt,  J.,  to  An- 
derson, Jan.  10,  1861,   177;  Jan.  13, 
205;   Feb.  23,  293;   to  S.  W.  Craw- 
ford, 277.     Lincoln,  Pres.,  to  Foote, 
411;   to  Fox,  May  i,    1861.  420;  to 
Mercer,  4*0.     Migrath,   Judge  A., 
to  Hayne,  Jan.  26,  1861,  222.  Meigs, 
M.   C.,   to   Seward,    Apr.    5,    1861, 
414.     Miles,  IV.  P.,   Feb.  10,   ic6i, 
262.  Orr,  J.  L.,  to  S.  W.  Crawford, 
Sept.  21,  1871,  148.   Pethgrew,  J.  J., 
to  Trescot,   78.      Pickens,    Gov.,  to 
Anderson,    Jan.    n,    1861,    192;   to 
Buchanan,  Dec.  17,   1860,  81;  Jan. 
26,    1861,    222;  to  Cobb,    Feb.    13, 

1861,  268;   to  Convention  for  Seces- 
sion, Dec.  28,  1860,  125;  to  DeSaus- 
sure,  Dec.  31,  1860,  137;   proclama- 
tion, Jan.   I,  1861,    138;   to  Trescot, 
Dec.  20,    1860,   84;    Dec.   22,    142. 
Ripley,    R.,   to   Ferguson,    Mar.    6, 
1861,  305.     Scott,  IV.,  to  Cameron, 
Mar.  15,  1861,  363;  to  Forney,  Dec. 
15,  1852,  163.     Seward,   W.   II.,  to 
Adams,  Apr.  10,  1861,  348;    to  Lin- 
coln,  Mar.    15,   1861,  348;   Apr.   i, 
319;   to  Porter,   Apr.  6,    1861,   415. 
Slidell,    J.,  to  Buchanan,  Jan.   27, 
1861,  276.     Thompson,  J.,  to  Black, 
Jan.    14,    1861,    178;   to   Buchanan, 
Jan.  8,  1861,  181;  to  Holt,  Mar.  21, 
1861,  181.      Toombs,  R.,  to  Confed- 
erate Commissioners,  Mar.  20,  1861, 
325;  Mar.  28,  334.     Trescot,  W.  If, 
to  Gist.  Nov.  1 6,  1860.  30;   to  Pick- 
ens,    Dec.    21,    1860,   85.      Walker, 
L.  P.,  to  Beauregard,  Apr.  10.  1861, 
421;    Apr.    n,    424.       Washington, 
L.  Q.,  to  Pickens,  Jan.  8,  1861,  180; 
to  Walker,  Mar.  5,  1861,  304.     Wig- 
fall.  L.  T.,  to  Bonham,  Jan.  2,  1861, 

150;   to  Pickens,  Jan.  8,    1861,  180; 

Mar.  4,  304.     to  Trescot,  Dec. 

19,  1860,  77. 

Lincoln,  President,  election  of,  a  blow 
to  State-rights,  15;  Gov.  Brown's 
views  of  probable  course  of,  266; 
Southern  opinions  of,  304;  anxiety 


INDEX. 


481 


of,  as  to  Virginia  Convention,  310; 
report  of  interview  of,  with  Col. 
Baldwin,  disputed,  311;  reply  of,  to 
Virginia  Convention,  312;  Cabinet 
of,  317,  319,  320;  pledged  to  evacu- 
ate Sumter,  vacillation,  338;  says 
Sumter  must  be  provisioned,  vacilla- 
tion on,  344;  requests  opinions  of 
Cabinet  on  relief  of  Sumter,  347; 
orders  reinforcement  of  Sumter,  365, 
reason,  368;  sends  Capt.  Fox  to 
Anderson,  369;  pressed  by  war  party, 
392;  determination  of,  to  provision 
Sumter,  396;  undecided  regarding 
Sumter,  402;  his  reasons  for  holding 
the  fort,  orders  reinforcement  of 
Fort  Pickens,  403  ;  orders  expedition 
for  Sumter,  404;  endorses  Meigs's 
plan  for  Fort  Pickens,  410,  person- 
ally directs  expedition,  411,  gratified 
at  success,42o;  tribute  of,  to  Fox,  420. 
Louisiana  passes  Ordinance,  seizes 
money  in  Mint,  257. 

McAlilley,  State  Senator,  votes  against 
Secession  Convention,  16. 

McQueen,  John,  confers  with  Buchanan 
on  reinforcements,  38,  39;  advises 
Pickens  to  withdraw  demand  for 
Sumter,  84. 

Macedonian,  sending  of,  to  Sumter 
advised,  155,  239;  for  relieving  Fort 
Pickens,  401. 

Magrath,  Judge  A.  G.,  closes  U.  S. 
District  Court,  resigns  office,  address, 
13;  results  of  his  action,  15;  previ- 
ous action  of,  as  to  co-operation,  14; 
at  Secession  Convention,  47,  resolu- 
tion of,  on  Federal  property,  50, 
member  of  committee,  52;  conveys 
Pickens's  demand  for  Sumter,  192, 
remarks,  193;  instructions  of,  to 
Hayne,  222-225;  report  of,  on  Fed- 
eral property,  388;  contradictory 
telegrams  to,  on  reinforcing  Sumter, 

393.  394- 

Mallory,  Senator  S.  R.,  requests  Pick- 
ens's envoy  to  withhold  letter  to  Presi- 
dent, 218,  219,  221;  assures  Federal 
Government  Fort  Pickens  will  not 
be  attacked,  401. 

Manigault,  Gen.  G.,  on  S.  C.  Ord- 
nance Board,  208 ;  plan  of,  for  reduc- 
ing Sumter,  209. 

Manning,  John  L.,  at  Secession  Con- 
vention, 46. 

Marshall,  Charles  H.,  refuses  assistance 
for  relief  of  Sumter,  404. 

Maynadier,  Capt.,  directed  by  Floyd 
to  supply  Southern  forts,  216. 


Meade,  Second  Lieut.  R.  K.,  detailed  to 
Pinckney,  75 ;  in  removal  to  Sumter, 
103-105;  leaves  Pinckney,  114;  es- 
timate by,  of  force  for  relief,  284; 
in  bombardment,  430  ;  subsequent 
career  of,  450. 

Means,  J.  H. ,  at  Secession  Convention, 
46. 

Meigs,  Capt.  M.  C.,  plan  of,  for  reliev- 
ing Fort  Pickens,  407, 408,  approved 
by  Lincoln,  410;  receives  money 
for,  411,  balance,  412;  at  Fort  Pick- 
ens,  415. 

Mercer,  Capt.,  detached  from  Pow- 
Aatant  Lincoln's  offer,  410;  pleased 
at  President's  action,  413;  gives  up 
command,  414. 

Mercury  (Charleston),  quoted,  292. 

Miles,  William  P.,  confers  with  Bu- 
chanan on  reinforcements,  38,  39, 
statement  to  S.  C.  Convention,  40; 
on  Foreign  Committee  of  Conven- 
tion, 53;  resolution  of,  to  notify 
Government  of  Ordinance,  54;  sent 
to  Sumter  during  bombardment,  441. 

Moore,  Gov.  A.  B.,  "no-compromise" 
despatch  of,  to  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 51. 

Morris  Island,  Charleston,  battery 
erected  on,  123;  harbor  light  on, 
put  out,  133;  force  landed  on,  134; 
fires  on  Star  of  the  West,  183;  force 
and  armament  at,  303,  397. 

Moultrie,  Fort,  Charleston,  ceded  to  U. 
S.  Government,  2;  description  of,  4- 
7;  defenseless  condition  of,  in  1860, 
6;  garrison  of,  believed  in  danger, 
38;  proposed  arming  of  workmen  at, 
56,  not  carried  out,  57;  attempted 
renewal  of  stores  at,  results,  57-59; 
Anderson  in  command  of,  59;  lax 
discipline  at,  under  Gardiner,  60; 
force  at,  under  Anderson,  64;  appro- 
priation for,  65;  laborers  tor,  from 
Baltimore,  66;  endangered  by  houses 
and  sand-hills,  70,  100;  arms  received 
at,  from  arsenal,  excitement  on,  77; 
watched  by  guard-boats,  88,  90,  97; 
progress  of  work  at,  92-95;  arma- 
ment and  defenses  of,  95,  98,  99; 
visitors  to,  excluded,  95;  garrison  of, 
prepare  to  leave,  102,  means  of  trans- 
portation, 103,  departure,  104-106, 
force  left  at,  106;  material  left  at, 
destroyed,  106,  107;  seizure  of, 
ordered  by  State,  113,  occupied  by 
State  troops,  116,  137,  138;  activity 
at,  137;  fires  on  Star  of  the  West, 
184;  works  at,  restored,  210,  des- 
cribed, 211,  303;  force  at  (Mar.  '61), 


482 


INDEX. 


305;  at  work  bombarding,  officers 
and  batteries  engaged,  427,  428,  435. 

Mount  Pleasant,  Charleston,  armament 
at,  279;  battery  on,  able  to  shell 
Sumter,  381. 

Mullins,  W.  S.,  urges  Pickens  to  pre- 
vent Sumter's  occupancy,  90. 

Nelson,  Judge  Samuel,  opinion  of,  on 
coercion,  325,  326  ;  advises  Seward 
to  recognize  Commissioners,  327; 
withdraws  from  further  negotiations, 
333. 

New  Mexico,  slavery  in,  permitted  by 
"Crittenden  Amendment,"  256. 

New  Orleans,  money  in  Mint  at,  seized, 
257. 

North,  people  of,  responsible  for  war, 
252;  press  of,  on  abandonment  of 
Sumter,  309;  Governors  of,  support 
Federal  Government,  339. 

Ordinance  of  Secession,  committee  on, 
48;  commission  of,  with  copy  to 
Washington,  52;  text  of,  53;  passes 
Convention,  54. 

Orr,  James  L.,  at  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 46;  commissioner  to  Washing- 
ton, 142. 

Parker,  Adm.  Sir  P.,  repulse  of,  from 
Charleston  in  1776,  5. 

Pawnee,  use  of,  in  Fox's  expedition, 
249;  ordered  to  relief  of  Sumter,  404; 
at  Charleston,  416-420 

Pettigrew,  James,  visits  Moultrie,  95; 
thinks  fort  will  be  taken,  96. 

Pettigrew,  Col.  Johnson,  commissioned 
to  Anderson,  109,  mission  fruitless, 
in;  ordered  to  occupy  Pinckney, 
113.  takes  possession,  114. 

Pickens,  Fort,  no  change  to  be  made  at, 
328,  331,  332;  rumored  relief  for, 
3:9,  340;  expedition  for  relief  of, 
401,  troops  not  landed,  401, 403;  loss 
of,  deemed  certain  by  Totten,  402; 
Meigs's  plan  for  relief  of,  407,  Porter 
to  command,  expedition  to  be  secret, 
409,  Powhatan  selected,  410,  expen- 
ses. 411,  balance,  412,  expedition 
sails,  414,  415;  relieved,  416. 

Pickens,  Gov.  Francis  W.,  elected  Gov- 
ernor, sketch,  79-81;  demands  pos- 
sessionof  Sumter,  letter  to  Buchanan, 
81,  withdraws  letter,  84,  86;  reply 
of,  to  Buchanan's  proposi  ion,  87; 
measures  of,  to  prevent  occupancy 
of  Sumter,  88;  informed  by  spies  of 
military  movements,  89;  pressure  on, 
to  seize  forts,  89,  90;  causes  inspec- 
tion of  Sumter,  90;  requests  Ander- 


son to  leave  Sumter,  in;  orders  of, 
to  occupy  forts,  113;  grants  protec- 
tion to  non-combatants,  permits  re- 
moval of  private  effects,  117;  seizes 
arsenal,  119-122;  establishes  batter- 
ies in  harbor  and  along  coast,  123, 
125;  report  of  his  actions  to  Conven- 
tion, 125;  prohibits  mails  to  Sumter, 
134;  orders  incoming  vessels  over- 
hauled, proclamation,  138;  reinforce- 
ment must  be  prevented,  138,  139; 
telegram  of,  to  Floyd  on  reinforce- 
ments, 141;  reply  of,  to  threat  to 
close  harbor,  189;  avows  firing  on 
Star  of  the  West,  190;  grants  safe- 
guard to  Anderson's  messenger,  191; 
demands  surrender  of  Sumter,  192, 
will  await  answer  from  Washington, 
194;  sends  envoy  to  President,  195, 
instructions  to  envoy,  196,  197:  per- 
mits provisioning  Sumter,  201;  letter 
of,  to  envoy,  reply  to  President,  222- 
225 ;  renews  demand  for  Sumter,  225 ; 
reply  of,  to  Peace  Convention  com- 
missioner, 244;  urges  Confederate 
Government  to  appoint  commander, 
248,  267;  consults  Sen.  Davis  as  to 
Sumter,  Davis' s  reply,  263-265;  con- 
sults Gov.  Brown,  replies  to  Toombs, 
266;  desires  Confederate  Cover  i  ment 
to  take  control,  determines  to  attack, 
267;  views  of,  of  right  of  State  to 
seize  Sumter,  268;  report  of,  on 
means  of  attack,  269,  270;  asks  in- 
structions of  Confederate  Govern- 
ment, 271;  people  angry  at,  for  pro- 
visioning Sumter,  292;  stops  random 
firing  in  harbor,  377;  reasons  of,  for 
seizing  mails,  384. 

Pilots,  of  Charleston,  refuse  to  pilot 
1-ederal  vessels,  52;  Board  of,  advise 
obstructing  channels,  137. 

Pinckney,  Castle,  description  of,  ceded 
to  U.  S.  Government,  2;  Maj.  Porter 
thinks  its  occupancy  unadvisable,  60; 
Anderson's  request  to  occuny,  re- 
fused, 62;  laborers  sent  to,  75,  76; 
arms  asked  for,  76,  received  from 
arsenal,  excitement  on,  77,  returned, 
78;  work  on,  delayed,  96;  Pickens 
orders  seizure  of,  113;  seized,  114; 
State  troops  at,  137. 

Pocakontas,  ordered  to  relief  of  Sumter, 
404;  at  Charleston.  416-420 

Porter,  Lieut.  David  D.,  selected  to 
command  Fort  Pickens  expedition, 
409,  his  orders,  410;  convinces  Foote, 
412;  takes  command  of  ship,  414; 
sails,  arrives  at  Fort  Pickens,  415; 
object  accomplished,  416. 


INDEX. 


483 


Porter,  Major  Fitz-John,  inspects 
Charleston  forts,  59,  report,  thinks 
occupancy  of  Sumter  and  Pmckney 
unadvisable,  60. 

Powhatax.  selected  for  relief  of  Sumter, 
405;  chosen  for  Fort  Pickens  expedi- 
tion, 410;  her  condition,  41 2;  quickly 
refitted,  413;  sails,  414;  arrives  at 
Fort  Pickens.  415. 

Prioleau,  (  harles  K.,  presents  Blakely 
gun  to  South  Carolina,  397. 

Pry  or,  Roger  A.,  warlike  speech  of, 
305 ;  sent  to  Sumter  during  bombard- 
ment, 441;  adventure  of,  at  Sumter, 
442. 

Regiments:  First  U.  S.  Artillery  (Col. 
Gardiner),  5;  First  S.  C.  Artillery 
(Lt -Col.  De  Saussure),  116;  First 
S  C.  Rifles  (Col.  Pettigrew),  55; 
German  Riflemen  (Capt.  Small), 
121 ;  Marion,  S.  C.,  Artillery  i,Capt. 
King),  427;  Meagher  Guards,  S.  C., 
113,  114;  Palmetto  Guard  (Capt. 
Cuthburt),  427,  429;  Seventeenth  S. 
C.  Infantry  (Col.  Cunningham), 
121 ;  Thirty -second  S.  C.  Infantry 
(Col.  Alston),  125;  Union  Light  In- 
fantry (Capt.  Ramsay),  122;  Vigilant 
R  fles,  S.  C.  (Capt.  Tucker),  123; 
Washington  Light  Infantry  (Capt. 
Simonton),  19,  113,  114,  120. 

Republican  party,  rise  of,  20;  victory 
of,  deemed  temporary  by  Administra- 
tion, 22,  33. 

Reynolds,  Jr.,  Lieut.  G.  N.,  joins  State 
service,  137. 

Rhett,  R.  B.,  in  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 46;  on  Committee  on  Address, 
50;  resolution  of,  to  report  Ordi- 
nance, 53;  moves  that  forts  be 
taken.  96. 

Rhett,  Jr.,  Col.  R.  B.,  plan  of,  for 
taking  Sumter,  89;  urges  Governor 
to  prevent  its  occupancy,  90. 

Richardson,  J.  P.,  in  Secession  Con- 
vention, 46. 

Ripley,  Col.  Roswell  S.,  succeeds  De 
Saussure  at  Moultrie,  119;  in  bom- 
bardment of  Sumter,  428,  439. 

Roberts,  Marshall  O.,  owner  of  Star 
of  the  West,  175. 

Robertson,  Judge  J., commissioner  from 
Virginia  to  seceding  States,  243:  mis- 
sion of,  in  South  Carolina  fruitless, 
244-246. 

Roman,  A.  B.,  Confederate  Commis- 
sioner to  Washington,  314,  instruc- 
tions to,  315;  interview  of,  with 
Baron  Stoeckl,  334. 


Rowan,  Commander,  in  Sumter  relief 

expedition,  417. 
Ruffin, ,   presents  John    Brown's 

pike  to  South  Caro'ina,  18. 

Saussure,  Gen.  W.  G.  de,  quoted,  4; 
at  Secession  Convention.  46;  ordered 
to  occupy  Sullivan's  Is: and,  113; 
seizes  Moultrie,  116,  137;  reply  of, 
to  Anderson,  118;  thinks  Anderson's 
removal  "consummate  wisdom,"  re- 
lieved, 119;  fires  on  R.  B.  Shannon, 
375.  379!  suggests  messenger  to 
Sumter,  439. 

Schnierle,  Gen.,  to  overhaul  incoming 
vessels,  138. 

Schultze,  Jackson  S.,  proposals  of,  for 
relief  expedition,  175. 

Scott,  Gen.  Winfield,  assigns  Ander- 
son to  Moultrie,  60;  character  of, 
relations  with  President,  162,  163; 
"Views"  of,  for  new  confederacies, 
163,  166;  "Views"  published  un- 
known to  President,  166;  President's 
criticism  on  "  Views,"  "  Supplemen- 
tary Views,"  167;  recommends  warn- 
ing forts,  interview  with  Buchanan, 
168;  burned  in  effigy,  169;  plans  of, 
for  relieving  Sumter,  169,  170;  praises 
Anderson's  action,  170;  advises  using 
Star  of  the  West,  174;  takes  no 
official  notice  of  Black's  letter,  240; 
unjust  strictures  of,  on  President, 
250,  251;  opinion  of,  on  Anderson's 
estimate  for  relief,  346;  estimate  of, 
for  relief,  347,  355 ;  thinks  surrender 
of  Sumter  inevitable,  363;  advises 
evacuation  of  Fort  Pickens,  363, 
365;  recommends  brevet  for  Ander- 
son, 370;  action  of,  in  relief  of  Fort 
Pickens,  408. 

Secession  ot  South  Carolina  advocated 
by  Governor,  9,  10,  by  Boyce,  Pugh, 
Bullock,  Yancey,  and  others,  n,  14; 
popular  endorsement  of,  12,  48;  de- 
cided by  election  of  1 860,  15;  bill 
for  Convention  for,  passed  by  Legis- 
lature, 16;  views  of  Cabinet  on,  22- 
25;  certainty  of,  33,  34;  postpone- 
ment of  Convention  impossible,  35, 
assembles,  45;  resolution  for  seces- 
sion passed,  48;  Ordinance  of  Seces- 
sion, 53. 

Senators,  Southern,  request  envoy  to 
withhold  letter  to  President,  reasons, 
2 1 8,  219;  correspondence  sent  to 
President,  220;  reply  of,  to  President, 
220,  221. 

Seward,  William  H.,  Secretary  of  State 
under  Lincoln,  317;  inclines  to  peace, 


484 


INDEX. 


abilities,  317,  3l8;  policy  of,  319; 
alters  warning  telegram  to  Confeder- 
acy, 320;  his  construction  of  Lincoln's 
inaugural,  321;  remarks  of,  on  recon- 
struction, 322;  urges  delay  on  Con- 
federate Commissioners,  323;  rt  fuses 
to  recognize  the  Commissioners,  324, 
325,  327,  328,  342,  343;  promises 
evacuation  of  Sumter,  328,  330,  de- 
lay in,  accidental,  331,  vacillation  of, 
as  to  evacuation,  337;  memorandum 
of,  to  Commissioners,  341;  will  not 
recognize  Confederacy,  342,  343; 
views  of,  on  relief  of  Sumter,  348- 
353;  thinks  policy  should  be  con- 
ciliation, 350-353;  action  of,  in  relief 
of  Fort  Pickens,  407;  in  charge  of 
secret-service  fund,  411;  order  of,  to 
hold  Powhatan,  415,  420. 

Seymour,  Capt.  Truman,  attempts  re- 
moval of  ammunition  to  Moultrie,  57, 
58;  arrested  and  released,  119,  136; 
sketches  by,  of  works  in  harbor,  279, 
291 ;  estimate  by,of  force  for  relief,284, 
355;  improvises  loaded  barrels,  296; 
report  of,  on  R.  B.  Shannon  affair, 
379;  in  bombardment,  431,  438;  sub- 
sequent career  of,  454. 

Shannon,  R.  £.,  fired  on  in  Charleston 
harbor,  375-377- . 

Sickles,  Daniel  E.,  insists  on  parade  of 
22d  February,  274. 

Simons,  Gen.  James,  letter  of,  on  Gov- 
ernment's pledge  40. 

Simonton,  Capt.  C.  H.,  appointed  to 
patrol  harbor,  88. 

Slaves  in  South  Carolina,  stringent  laws 
for,  17. 

Slemmer,  Lieut.  Adam  J.,  commanding 
Fort  Pickens,  401;  asks  assistance, 

4I5- 

Slidell,  Senator  John,  thinks  demand 
for  Sumter  unwise,  84;  requests  Pick- 
ens's  envoy  to  withhold  letter  for 
President,  218,  219,  221;  letter  of,  to 
President  on  Beauregard,  276. 

Snyder,  Lieut.  George  W.,  assistant 
engineer  at  Charleston,  65,  97;  in  re- 
moval to  Sumter,  103,  104;  mission 
of,  to  Pickens,  117,  118;  estimate  by, 
of  force  for  relief,  283 ;  report  of,  on 
R.  B.  Shannon  affair,  379;  in  bom- 
bardment, 432,  438,  439;  subsequent 
career  of,  452. 

South  Carolina,  United  States  Consti- 
tution supreme  in,  i ;  cedes  to  United 
States  Government  Pinckney,  Moul- 
trie, Johnson,  2,  Sumter,  4;  Legis- 
lature of,  not  consulted  in  erection  of 
Sumter,  4;  special  session  of  Legisla- 


ture of,  in  1860,  Governor  and  others 
advise  secession,  9,  10,  1 1 ;  people  of, 
endorse  secession,  12;  resolution  on 
secession  by  politicians  of,  14;  con- 
troversy of,  with  Federal  Govern- 
ment foreseen,  14  ;  election  of 
1860  decisive  of  secession  of, 
15  ;  Legislature  of,  passes  bill 
for  Secession  Convention,  16  ;  se- 
cession of,  inevitable,  33-35,  46;  force 
not  desired  by,  35;  people  of,  certain 
to  possess  Federal  property,  37; 
Congressmen  of,  protest  against  rein- 
forcements, 38;  memorandum  of,  to 
President,  38,  39,  results  of  Presi- 
dent's vacillation,  39,  40;  Secession 
Convention  of,  opened,  45 ;  previous 
Conventions  of,  46;  people  of,  unani- 
mous for  secession,  48,  50;  peace- 
able solution  desired  by,  5 1 ;  proclaim- 
ed independent,  popular  enthusiasm 
thereat,  55;  authorities  of,  demand 
enrollment  of  Moultrie  laborers,  re- 
fused, 67;  popular  demand  in,  for 
seizure  of  forts,  90;  military  men  of, 
visit  and  inspect  Moultrie,  95,  96; 
people  of,  called  on  to  seize  forts,  96; 
threats  ef,  against  forts,  100;  mob 
action  unknown  in,  101 ;  erects  bat- 
teries in  Charleston  Harbor,  123, 
127;  officers  of,  obstruct  channels  in 
harbor,  137;  authorities  of,  renew 
demand  for  Sumter,  191 ;  activity  of, 
on  forts,  207,  209;  Legislature  oK,  re- 
fuses Virginia's  mediation,  245;  part 
taken  by,  in  Provisional  Congress, 
261,  262;  people  of,  clamor  to  at- 
tack Sumter,  269;  authorities  of,  im- 
patient at  delay  in  evacuating,  336; 
people  of,  anxious  to  take  Sumter, 
422. 

Stanton,  Edwin  M.,  Attorney-General 
under  Buchanan,  149;  deprecates 
concessions  to  South  Carolina  Com- 
missioners, 149;  view  of,  of  affairs,  160. 

Star  of  the  West,  reported  sailing  of, 
133;  substituted  for  Brooklyn,  charge 
for,  plan,  175;  force  and  material  on, 
sails,  175;  arrives  at  Charleston,  183; 
fired  upon,  123,  183,  184;  retires, 
184;  firing  on,  an  act  of  war,  205, 
206;  Pickens's  view  of  attack  on,  224. 

State-rights  endangered  by  delaying 
secession,  1 1 ;  doctrine  of,  undoubt- 
ed, 14;  endangered  by  election  of 
1860,  15;  open  assertion  of,  in  South 
Carolina,  18. 

States,  seceding,  pass  Ordinance  of  Se- 
cession, 257;  Commissioners  of,  in 
Provisional  Congress,  259. 


INDEX. 


485 


Stevens,  Major  P.  F.,  ordered  to  Mor- 
ris Island,  123. 

Stoeckl,  Baron,  conversation  of,  with 
Seward,  334 ;  says  European  powers 
will  recognize  Confederacy,  335. 

Sullivan's  Island,  Charleston,  battery 
erected  on,  by  State,  123;  harbor 
lighten,  put  out,  133;  new  battery 
on,  302;  dangerous  battery  on,  un- 
masked, 382,  398. 

Sumter,  Fort,  description  of,  2,  4; 
ceded  to  United  States  Government, 
4;  Maj.  Porter  thinks  occupancy  of, 
unadvisable,  60;  repair  of,  begun, 
appropriation  for,  65;  laborers  for, 
from  Baltimore,  progress  of  Wi  rk,  66; 
value  of,  71;  arms  asked  for,  76,  re- 
ceived from  arsenal,  77,  returned, 
78;  Pickens  demands  possession  of, 
81,  82,  withdraws  demand,  84,  86; 
watched  by  guard-boats,  88,  90,  97; 
plans  for  taking,  88,  90;  inspected  by 
Pickens,  90,  by  Messrs.  Winston  and 
others,  91 ;  men  at,  wear  blue  cock- 
ade, 94;  progress  of  work  on,  96; 
occupied  by  Anderson,  91,  102-112; 
workmen  at,  leave,  108,  131,  204; 
supplies  short  at,  126,  129,  134,  136, 
203,  374;  means  of  defense  at,  131, 
134,  135,  force,  132;  mail  service  to, 
prohibited,  134;  material  needed  at, 
135;  various  plans  for  relief  of,  170; 
relief  expedition  for,  starts,  139,  176, 
garrison  receives  unofficial  notice, 
185,  opinions  in  officers'  council  at, 
187.  188;  surrender  of,  demanded, 
192;  progress  of  armament  at,  198- 
200;  new  mail  facilities  for,  200;  sup- 
plies sent  to,  from  Charleston,  201, 
returned,  202;  supplies  at,  21 1 ;  men 
of,  rudely  treated,  204;  garrison  at, 
encouraged  by  Government,  206; 
women  and  children  of,  sent  North, 
206,  207 ;  plan  adopted  for  reducing, 
209;  new  expedition  for,  contem- 
plated, 236;  Judge  Black's  views  on 
reinforcing,  237-239;  false  rumors  as 
to  attack  on,  247;  further  plans  for 
relieving,  248-251;  affairs  at,  im- 
proved, 291 ;  private  property  of  men 
of,  retained,  292;  garrison  despond- 
ent, fuel  scarce,  295;  fort  further 
strengthened,  295-297,  299;  mines 
laid  at,  297;  report  of  intended  evac- 
uation of,  301,  308;  communications 
with,  prohibited,  313;  provisioning  of, 
conditional,  322;  evacuation  of,  in- 
sisted on  by  Confederacy,  324;  Sew- 
ard promises  evacuation  of,  328, 330, 
331 ;  rumored  relief  for,  339.  340, 
343;  firing  on,  charged  to  Federal 


Government,  344;  Cabinet  opinions 
on  relief  of,  348-361;  reinforcement 
of,  ordered,  365 ;  mission  of  Capt.  Fox 
to,  369-372 ;  garrison  of,  packing  up, 
373;  no  one  allowed  to  leave,  375; 
officers  of,  divided  as  to  reply  to  bat- 
teries, 376;  garrison  of,  annoyed  by 
revenue  cutter,  380,  381;  provisions 
to,  stopped,  relief  promised,  382;  new 
protection  at,  383,  385,  386;  mails 
of,  seized,  383,  384;  contradictory 
telegrams  on  reinforcing,  393,  394; 
force  at  (April,  1861),  397,  398; 
short  rations  at,  preparations  for  de- 
fense, 398,  399;  Totten  on  holding 
of,  402;  military  authorities  advise 
no  relief  for,  402,  403;  relief  of,  or- 
dered by  Lincoln,  494,  expedition 
sails  and  arrives,  without  a  head, 
416,  unsuccessful,  416-420;  surren- 
der of,  demanded,  refused,  423,  en- 
thusiasm of  garrison,  424;  bombard- 
ment begun,  418,  427;  opposing 
batteries,  427-429;  opens  fire,  429; 
guns  and  officers  engaged,  429,  430; 
cartridges  short,  men  withdrawn 
from  parapet,  an  accident,  431,  432; 
effect  of  firing  on,  431-433;  firing  on, 
slackens,  432,  renewed,  434;  firing 
of,  on  Moultrie,  quarters  on  fire, 
powder  ordered  destroyed,  435,  437, 
explosions  of  shells,  magazine  sealed 
by  a  shot,  flag-staff  shot  away,  437; 
flag  re-raised,  438;  trip  to,  of  Col. 
Wigfall,  439,  440;  flag  lowered, 
white  one  raised,  441;  condition  of, 
after  bombardment,  443-445;  flag  at, 
saluted  by  Anderson,  fatal  accident, 
446;  State  troops  in  possession  of, 
garrison  leave,  447;  present  condi- 
tion of,  457,  458. 

Talbot,  Lieut.  Theodore,  bears  mes- 
sage from  Anderson  to  Washington, 
190,  191,  return,  204;  estimate  by, 
of  force  for  relief,  284;  sent  to  Wash- 
ington with  despatches,  376,  377;  on 
mission  from  Cameron  to  Pickens, 
394;  not  allowed  to  communicate 
with  Anderson,  secret  departure, 
395;  career  of,  after  Sumter,  455. 

Texas  passes  Ordinance  of  Secession, 

257- 

Thomas,  Col.  L.,  superintends  relief 
expedition,  175. 

Thomas,  Philip  F..  Secretary  of  Treas- 
ury under  Buchanan,  37;  advocates 
concessions  to  South  Carolina  Com- 
missioners. 149 

Thompson,  Jacob,  opinion  by,  of  seces- 
sion, 23;  opposes  reinforcement  of 


486 


INDEX. 


forts,  29;  advocates  concessions  to 
South  Carolina  Commissioners,  149; 
feels  bound  to  resign,  correspondence 
with  Southerners,  178;  determines 
to  send  warning  of  expedition,  179, 
telegram  withheld,  180;  telegraphs 
personally,  180,  criticisms  on  his  ac- 
tion, 180.  181;  resigns,  181;  boasts 
of  his  action,  182. 

Toombs,  Robert,  urges  Pickens  to  de- 
lay attack  on  Sumter,  266;  remark  of, 
on  attempt  to  provision  Sumter,  421. 

Totten,  Gen.  Joseph  G.,  opinion  of,  on 
Anderson's  estimate,  346;  criticism 
of,  on  Fox's  relief  plan,  361,  362;  on 
inadvisability  of  holding  Sumter,  402. 

Toucey,  Gov.  Isaac,  discredits  seces- 
sion and  Republican  victory,  22; 
approves  President's  reply  to  South 
Carolina  Commissioners,  149. 

Trapier,  CoL,  plan  of,  for  reducing 
Sumter,  209. 

Trescot,  William  H.,  describes  feeling 
of  Cabinet  in  1860,  20-24;  views  of, 
regarding  reinforcement  of  forts,  26- 
28,  his  proposition  on,  29,  letter  on, 
to  Gist,  30;  selected  to  convey  Bu- 
chanan's message  to  Gist,  33;  inter- 
views of,  with  Buchanan  on  rein- 
forcement, 34,  42;  resigns  office,  43; 
asks  Pickens  to  withdraw  demand 
for  Sumter,  84,  reasons,  85;  be- 
comes agent  for  South  Carolina.  140; 
Narrative  of,  quoted  on  pp.  21-24, 
26-35,  42,  43.  58>  83-85>  W>  *42- 
144. 

Tucker,  Capt.,  at  Morris  Island,  123. 

Twiggs,  Gen.  David  E.,  asked  for,  by 
Pickens,  271;  thanked  by  S.  C.  Con- 
vention, 390. 

Tyler,  John,  commissioner  from  Vir- 
ginia to  President,  243;  requests 
Pickens  to  delay  attack,  246,  247. 

Tylor,  Lieut.  R.  O.,  in  Sumter  relief 
expedition,  416,  418. 

United  States,  condition  of,  at  close  of 
Buchanan's  administration,  282,  283. 
See  under  Government,  Federal. 

Virginia,  action  of,  condemned  by 
South  Carolina,  12;  students  in, 
hang  General  Scott  in  effigy,  169; 
General  Assembly  of,  institutes  Peace 
Convention,  appoints  commissioners, 
243,  their  interview  with  President, 
243.  244- 

Walker,  Leroy  P.  (Conf.  Sec.  War), 
letter  of,  to  Pickens,  278;  urges  ac- 
tion by  Beauregard,  306  ;  reports 


intended  succor  of  Sumter,  sugges- 
tions as  to  mines,  307,  308;  instructs 
Beauregard  as  to  occupancy  ol  Sum- 
ter, 308;  (orbids  provisioning  Sum- 
ter, on  calling  out  volunteers,  397; 
orders  Beauregard  to  demand  sur- 
render of  Sumter,  421. 

War  Department,  Confederate — see 
under  Walker. 

War  Department,  Federal— see  under 
Fioyd,  Holt. 

War  of  the  Rebellion,"  quoted,  56, 
59,  150,  284,  305,  306,  308,  381,  430, 

439- 

Ward,  Commander  J.  H.,  to  command 
relief  expedition,  248,  250;  ready  to 
sail,  283;  plan  of,  abandoned,  347, 
354;  Secretary  Cameron's  opinion 
of  plan  of,  356. 

Wardlaw,  Chancellor  (South  Carolina), 
at  Secession  Convention,  47. 

Wardlaw,  Judge  D.  L.,  at  Secession 
Convention,  47. 

Washington,  D.  C.,  parade  in,  22d 
February,  1861,  countermanded,  273, 
allowed,  274. 

Washington,  L.  Q.,  sends  warning  of 
relief  expedition,  180. 

Welles,  Gideon,  action  of,  in  Fort  Pick- 
ens  expedition,  413,  414, 

Whig  (Richmond),  quoted,  100. 

Whig  party  extinguished  by  slavery,  20. 

White,  Colonel,  plan  of,  for  reducing 
Sumter,  209. 

Whiting,  Captain  W.  H.  C.,  report  of, 
on  Charleston  defenses,  270;  report 
of,  distasteful  to  people,  272. 

Whitner,  Judge,  at  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 47. 

Wigfall,  Senator  Louis  T.,  announces 
Anderson's  movement,  143;  reports 
appointment  of  Holt,  150;  sends 
warning  of  relief  expedition,  180;  re- 
quests Pickens's  envoy  to  withhold 
letter  to  President,  218,  219,  221; 
urges  Pickens  to  prevent  attack,  304; 
believes  Sumter  will  be  evacuated, 
307;  starts  recruiting  in  Baltimore, 
309;  self-appointed  mission  of,  to 
Sumter,  439,  his  conduct  there,  440, 
his  action  unauthorized,  441. 

Withers,  Judge,  at  Secession  Conven- 
tion, 47. 

Woods,  Lieut.  C.  R.,  commands  relief 
expedition,  175. 

Wright,  Capt.  H.  G.,  urges  Capt.  Fos- 
ter's request  on  Floyd,  99. 

Yulee,  Senator  D.  L  ,  requests  Pick- 
ens's envoy  to  withhold  letter  to 
President,  218,  219,  221. 


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